OUR IMPACT

In 2024, The Children’s Book Bank gave away 146,632 books: 77,495 books were distributed through our Book Bank locations with an additional 69,137 books distributed to families through our Books Across the City Program.

In addition to expanding our reach through the establishment of Book Bank locations in Morningside and Jane & Finch, The Children’s Book Bank continues to provide books for children beyond our spaces through our Books Across the City Program. Through this program, we provide free books to like-minded community partners who then distribute them to the children, teens, and families they serve.

Total Number of Books Distributed

Greater Program Reach

At the heart of all our programming is the understanding that children benefit from reading most when they enjoy it. By empowering children to select their own reading material, our model supports literacy development at every stage and ignite a lifelong love of books.

By providing new ongoing programs seasonally, families are encouraged to visit regularly and children stay excited about learning.

Total Number of Program Participants

2024-2025 MAJOR ACCOMPLISHMENTS

Expanding Literacy Access & Choice

Distributed over 12,000 free books each month to children, teens, and families across the city, with every child having to opportunity to choose titles that inspire them.
Engaged over nearly 19,000 children and caregivers through literacy programming, fostering reading confidence and family learning.
Increased access to Indigenous-authored books with year round Indigenous book displays and National Day for Truth and Reconciliation event with author David A. Robertson. Each of the 200 students in attendance at David’s presentation received a free copy of one of his books.
Partnered over 100 commuity community agencies to distribute books and increase our reach across the city.

Increasing Visibility & Community Reach

Promoted our mission thought events that celebrate the power of reading including a Cat Kid Comic Club collaboration with Mirvish Productions, Scholatic Canada, and Kids Up Front Toronto. The Mayor of Toronto, Olivia Chow, was in attendance, reinforcing our role as a trusted literacy partner.

Co-organized the first St. James Town Kids Market to bring together over a dozen community partners providing services to children in the St. James Town Community.
Expanded outreach at schools, community fairs, and partner events, bringing choice-based book access to new families in select neighbourhoods.

Building Partnerships to Enrich Literacy Experiences

Strengthened collaboration and volunteer capacity through a Volunteer Mixer with 7 community partners — ArtHeart, CSM, Kick Start Arts, Fred Victor, Friends of Regent Park, Big Brothers Big Sisters, and Storytelling Toronto — plus MPP Kristyn Wong-Tam.

Collaborated with local community organizations including Art City, Community Music Schools of Toronto, The Jane/Finch Community and Family Centre, and Malvern Aboriginal Child and Family Centre to offer multifaceted programs.

Partnered with Kids Up Front, Mirvish Productions, and The Village at Black Creek to offer real world adventures that help stories to life. This included our Page to Stage program where participants attended stage productions of Cat Kid Comic Club: The Musical, The Lion King, and Pride and Prejudice* (*sort of) after reading the books.

Seasonal Programs

Offered engaging seasonal programs including:

Summer Reading Program: encouraging children to read regularly during the school break with engaging challenges, incentives and recognition for participation.

Book Bank Comic Club: where children created their own comic books inspired by Dav Pilkey's popular series Cat Kid Comic Club.

Butterflies and Books: learning about life cycles through story times, activies and the observation of real caterpillars in the Book Bank spaces.

Birds and Books: learning about native birds through books paired with hands-on art and STEM activities to foster environmental literacy.

ANNUAL REPORT

2024 was a year of immense growth for The Children’s Book Bank. We doubled the number of Book Bank locations, opening new spaces in the Scarborough neighbourhood of Morningside and at Yorkgate Mall in the Jane & Finch community. This expansion project necessitated a doubling of our workforce, with five new full-time employees, two new part-time employees, and 20 new volunteers joining our team.

Download Annual Report