Story Orchard

Our Mission:
Our mission is to provide our community members equal opportunities to connect, grow and engage with literature and each other.

What we do
Provide literacy opportunities and access to free high quality literature to own, read, and treasure.

Take VIRTUAL TOUR of our book source space and see our work in action! https://www.storyorchardbooks.org or scan the QR below

              

We are thrilled to share that Story Orchard is thriving! Over the past year, your support has helped us to grow in exciting new ways, deepening our commitment to free book access and literacy engagement across our community.

We’ve collaborated with powerful partner organizations, built lasting relationships with authors, and welcomed hundreds of community members into our free bookstore. While the numbers tell a story of growth, the community’s heartfelt response has been the biggest surprise and the most profound reward.

One community member recently said, "Coming here is the highlight of my week." Another shared, "My grandchildren have maybe one book at their house. I am bringing them this entire bag."

This is the heart of Story Orchard's work: creating a place filled with hope, information, and connection—all fueled by books.

Our Impact: A Snapshot of Story Orchard at Work

This year, our team focused our energy on three core areas, delivering a high-impact model for literacy and community building:

1. The Free Bookstore: Book Access for All Ages

• Delivered 161 hours of literacy engagement through free books and activities provided at our location on 39th and Thomas.

• We maintain a curated inventory of over 3,000 free books for babies through adults.

• We received over 5,000 book donations, which were sorted and then distributed through our storefront, community events, and teacher requests.

• An average of 78 community members come through our doors each month to find their next great read.

2. Community Outreach & School Partnerships

• Thousands of free books were distributed this summer alone across our community events in partnership with organizations like the Victory Neighborhood Association and V3 Sports.

• We restocked and added to our network of Community Bookshelves, including a new, giant bookshelf at Open Doors on Broadway.

• In collaboration with three Minneapolis schools—Lyndale, Lucy Laney, and Bancroft Elementary—we provided educators and students with over 875 new books to build their classroom and home libraries.

3. Deepening Community Partnerships

We recognize that we are stronger together. By partnering with great organizations like The Free Book Buggie and Read with Me, we ensure that every book access request is met with the highest quality possible. These partnerships allow us to leverage our collective strengths, whether it’s hosting a large-scale kids’ event or providing diverse adult literature. We are also honored to promote and collaborate with many local MN BIPOC kidlit authors, who serve as inspiration and readers for our family story hours.

The Next Chapter: We Need Your Help to Keep the Pages Turning

We are a small but mighty team, and your past generosity helped us not only grow our services but also learn how truly special our community is. Now, as we look to the new year, we need your continued financial support to sustain this momentum.

Your contribution is critical. It doesn't just put books on a shelf; it builds a warm, welcoming, and life-changing space where neighbors connect, children fall in love with reading, and adults find joy and growth.

Here is how your donation can make a tangible difference today:

• $50 covers the costs to restock one Community Bookshelf for an entire month.

• $200 allows us to host a Family Story Hour, connecting a local author with neighborhood families and distributing books.

• $500 keeps our Free Bookstore open for two weeks, welcoming nearly 80 community members each month to access thousands of free resources.

Please consider making your most generous gift today. You can donate online at www.storyorchardbooks.org or return your contribution in the enclosed envelope.

With gratitude for being part of our story,

Lesley De Paz and the entire Story Orchard team

P.S. Every book distributed and every hour the bookstore is open, is powered by donors like you. Your gift of any amount will ensure that Story Orchard continues to be a vital place for connection and literacy in the new year. Thank you!