The Storybook Project of Arkansas
NLD ID #96477
Contact Information
Newport, AR 72112
Hours of Operation
9-5
Program Overview
We bring children's books to six correctional units in Arkansas four times a year and record loved ones reading a book and giving a message to the children in their lives. We burn the recordings to CD and mail the book and CD to the children at no cost to the families. To put another book in each home and encourage literacy, we offer program participants the opportunity to send an additional Houghton Mifflin reader home to their children. To accommodate Hispanic families, we also provide a selection of books in Spanish. Since 1999, we have helped 12,000 parents and grandparents read to and encourage 17,000 children in over 25 states. As we have no rented office space, the location provided above is for the Newport prison, where we have operated since 1999.
Cost Info
We have no paid staff or rented office space. We are all volunteers, so our funds go farther. In 2019, our biggest expenses were postage (39%) and mailing/printing/recording supplies (33%). Due to significant in-kind donations of books, we spent only 5% on books. Remaining expenses include our website, board education costs, mileage, post office box and taxes.Student and Volunteer Success Stories
I first heard about the Storybook Project of Arkansas when I was a newspaper reporter. I covered the state prison system - on and off - for many years. After leaving the paper, I accepted a job with the Arkansas Department of Correction and saw first-hand the importance of keeping inmates connected with their families - especially their children. I'm so happy to finally be able to volunteer for this organization. It means so much to both the inmates and their children to be able to share a storybook together. I treasure my memories of reading bedtime stories to my children and I'm so honored to help those who are incarcerated create special memories of their own.
Education services
- Find a family literacy program