Penguin Random House is proud to continue our longstanding partnership with the National Book Foundation’s Book Rich Environments (BRE) program, an initiative we have supported since its launch in 2017.

With over 600,000 books donated by PRH, we are proud to be the leading contributor to the BRE program among publishers. We are committed to ensuring that children and families across the country have access to high-quality, diverse books that spark imagination, foster learning, and build community.  

Book giveaway with the Brooklyn Public Library in Gowanus, NY. © Beowulf Sheehan.

In 2025, the Book Rich Environments program distributed 304,655 free books to children and families living in public housing communities nationwide, bringing the program’s total impact to 2.6 million books distributed since its inception in 2017. 

These efforts are made possible through partnerships with local public housing authorities, libraries, and literacy organizations. Through more than 5,600 free book giveaway events, the program has reached over 1 million young people and their families, transforming homes and communities into book-rich environments. 

Book signing and giveaway with National Book Award. © HCFL

This year also marked an important expansion of the program. BRE welcomed two new sites in rural communities and states with some of the highest rates of book banning: 

Barnwell, South Carolina, the program’s first site in the state. 

El Paso, Texas, the first new Texas location since 2017. 

These additions bring the program’s reach to 62 public housing communities across 39 states and Washington DC. 

National Book Award Longlister Alicia D. Williams signing books for NYCHA residents at the Drew Hamilton Community Center in Harlem. © Christian Rodriguez.

At Penguin Random House, we believe books have the power to transform lives, and we are honored to stand alongside the National Book Foundation in this vital work. Together, we are ensuring that children and families—regardless of circumstance—have the opportunity to discover stories that inspire, empower, and connect us all. 

Posted: September 11, 2025