named programs · 9 · from sources
What they call their work
Book Fest
Free annual family literacy celebration with games, crafts, read-alouds, and a book for every Geneva child in kindergarten through second grade
Community Bookshelves
Free, gently used books available on brightly painted shelves at community locations including medical offices, schools, and social service agencies in Geneva
Community Read
Annual community-wide literacy event with themed programming for students and adults, including book discussions and activities
Early Starts
Supplies books and educational toys to therapists in the county’s Early Intervention program and supports First 1,000 Days and Baby Box initiatives
Healthy Readers
Provides a new bilingual book to children at each of 12 well-child visits from age 2 weeks to 5 years at local medical clinics
Outreach
Volunteers staff a red tent at community events like the Geneva Farmers’ Market, Viva Geneva, and Festival de Primavera, distributing books and activities
Random Acts for Reading
Board members distribute small board books to children in waiting areas such as restaurants and service lines to encourage reading
Ready to Read
Provides 20 books per year to each child in Head Start, Universal Pre-Kindergarten, and Agri-Business Child Development Center for classroom use and take-home
StoryWalk
17-station outdoor reading trail along Geneva's lakefront where families walk and read a picture book displayed across stations; book changes several times a year
activities · 5 groups
What they do
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Children's Book Distribution Programs 6 activities
- Conduct Random Acts for Reading initiativeDistributes new small board books directly to children in public settings through the "Random Acts for Reading" initiative, promoting spontaneous engagement with books in everyday environments.
- Distribute books through Community BookshelvesOperates Community Bookshelves at multiple public service sites across Geneva, NY, where children and families can access free, gently used books. These bookshelves are placed in locations where families gather to promote easy access to reading materials.
- Distribute literacy-themed lawn signsDistributes and installs lawn signs with literacy messages around Geneva to promote reading and empower readers, a practice initiated in 2017 to foster community-wide engagement with literacy.
- Host Summer Slide Book FairConducted the Summer Slide Book Fair in 2023 to support children's literacy during summer months, distributing 10 books per child during the pandemic shutdown as a replacement for the fair.
- Host annual Book Fest for childrenHosts an annual Book Fest, a family literacy celebration featuring reading-related activities and distributes one new book to every child in kindergarten through second grade in Geneva, NY. The 2025 event was themed around "Rainbow Fish."
- Support literacy in early childhood programsSupplies books and educational toys for inclusion in Ontario County’s Early Intervention, First 1,000 Days, and Baby Box programs. Also provides 20 books per year to each child enrolled in Head Start, Universal Pre-Kindergarten, and the Agri-Business Child Development Center for use in classrooms and home sharing.
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Early Literacy Promotion 3 activities
- Operate the CARES Reading ProgramRuns the CARES Reading Program, which provides one-on-one reading support to K–5 students through trained volunteer tutors, helping to improve literacy skills among elementary school children in Geneva.
- Provide books during pediatric well-child visitsDistributes a new bilingual book to each child at all 12 well-child visits from age 2 weeks to 5 years through local pediatric clinics, supporting early literacy development. Also expanded the Healthy Readers program to include special books at the 5-year visit and magnetic alphabets at the 3-year visit.
- Provide literacy resources and guides for parentsDevelops and distributes a guide for parents to support young readers at home, created in partnership with the National Education Association and Colorín Colorado, to strengthen family engagement in early literacy.
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Literary Events & Workshops 1 activity
- Host community literacy events and programsProvides books and organizes literacy activities at community events such as the Geneva Farmers’ Market, Viva Geneva, Festival de Primavera, and holiday celebrations. Also hosted a Community Read program in 2023 centered on a shared theme, engaging both children and adults with books and related activities.
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Recurring Craft and Fiber Arts Groups 1 activity
- Host educational and literary events at community venuesOrganizes and hosts a variety of literary and educational events at local venues, including a movie screening of "Huck Finn," a presentation on Olivia Langdon Clemens, book discussions such as "James" by Percival Everett, a 19th-century games event, and an adult needle felting workshop.
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Uncategorized 1 activity
- Implement StoryWalk along Geneva’s lakefrontOperates a 17-station StoryWalk along Geneva’s lakefront route where families read a picture book across a 1/3-mile path, with rotating book selections and number-learning magnets at each station. The StoryWalk was completed and dedicated to Stephanie "Omi" Monson.
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financials · form 990EZ · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$149K
Contributions & grants$145K97%
Program service revenue$00%
Investment income$4K3%
Other revenue—
expenses
Total expenses$134K
Program expenses—
Admin / overhead—
Fundraising—
Salaries & benefits$54K
Grants paid out—
balance sheet
Total assets$174K
Cash—
Investments—
Liabilities—
Net assets$174K
4 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue +31.1%
relationships · 23
Who they work with
- Child and Family Resources, Inc. Partner — Hosts a Community Bookshelf at its service location.
- Colorín Colorado Partner — Collaborates with Geneva Reads to provide the Reading 101 guide for parents.
- Dove Block Project Partner — Hosted an adult needle felting workshop.
- Empire Coffee & Donuts Partner — Hosted a book discussion event for "James" by Percival Everett.
- Finger Lakes Community Health Partner — Participates in the Healthy Readers program by distributing books during well-child visits.
- Finger Lakes Federal Credit Union Partner — Contributor to the Book Fest event
- Finger Lakes Medical Associates Partner — Collaborates on the Healthy Readers program to distribute books during pediatric well-child visits.
- Geneva City School District Partner — Collaborates as part of a community-wide literacy initiative.
- Geneva City School District Partner — Hosts Community Bookshelves at school and district office locations.
- Geneva City School District teachers' union Partner — Contributor to the Book Fest event
- Geneva Community Lunch Program Partner — Hosts a Community Bookshelf at its service site.
- Geneva Housing Authority Partner — Hosts a Community Bookshelf at its administrative location.
- Geneva Public Library Partner — Co-hosted events including Game Time and Movie Night.
- Geneva Public Library Partner — Represented in early meetings to coordinate community-wide literacy initiatives.
- Historic Geneva Partner — Collaborated on a presentation about Livy Langdon Clemens, featuring its Executive Director.
- Hobart and William Smith Colleges Partner — Participates in early planning meetings for community-wide literacy efforts.
- Literacy Volunteers of Ontario-Yates Partner — Participated in early coordination meetings for community-wide literacy efforts.
- National Education Association Partner — Collaborates with Geneva Reads to provide the Reading 101 guide for parents.
- The Presbyterian Church in Geneva Partner — Hosts a Community Bookshelf at its church location.
- The Wyckoff Family Foundation Funder — Contributor to the Book Fest event
- West Street School Partner — Students are paired with volunteers in the CARES Reading Program.
- West Street School parent/teachers association Partner — Contributor to the Book Fest event
- Wyckoff Family Foundation Funder — Provided initial and ongoing funding for books and programs through annual grants.
strategies · 3
How they approach the work
Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.
- Child-Choice Book Distribution in High-Access Community Locationsmethodology: self-service-distributionBy placing self-select bookshelves in high-traffic public locations, we increase access and ownership of reading materials, because children are more engaged with books they choose themselves and families are more likely to participate when access is embedded in routine community visits.
- Community-Wide Coordinated Literacy Campaignsmethodology: community-wide-coordinationBy unifying separate literacy efforts into a single community-wide reading program, we amplify reach and cultural impact, because shared thematic programming fosters collective participation, public dialogue, and sustained engagement across institutions.
- Healthcare-Integrated Literacy Promotionmethodology: healthcare-integrated-literacyBy integrating book distribution into pediatric well-child visits, we promote early literacy as a normalized part of health and development, because embedding literacy in trusted clinical settings increases caregiver receptivity and routine engagement with reading.