Start Reading Now
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
Free books for low income children to build in-home libraries.
- Income
- $153,257
- Spending
- $110,163
- Reserves
- 5.6 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 100%
- Highest pay
- $10,575, secretary/ admin consultant
Source: Form 990EZ for the year ending September 30, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Good: 79 out of 100. Higher than 48% of charities in its peer group (education, under $250k).
Reserves
20 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 5.6 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 0% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 28% of income.
Source: Form 990EZ for the year ending September 30, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
This organization files the short tax form, which does not ask about boards, policies or audits. That is normal for a small charity and is not a mark against it.
Source: Form 990EZ for the year ending September 30, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Impact evidence
Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.
Programs described in its return (1)
- $94,832 spent. SRN hosted free book fairs in 28 schools across Minneapolis, St. Paul and Brooklyn Center. At these fairs 4,400 students picked out 10 books each - totaling in 44,000 new books for summer reading in 2024. We also collected data from students this fall and learned the following. I also attached that data in table form if needed. 1. Kids who participate like reading more: More than half the kids who bought 10 new books liked reading more after participating in the program.2. More reading inspires kids to like reading even more: 86% of kids who read all 10 of their new, self-selected books ended up liking reading more than before they bought those books. Reading more inspires the vast majority of kids to like reading more.
Source: Form 990EZ for the year ending September 30, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.
Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.
Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.
Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.
On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.
Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending September 2024.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since February 2016.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.
Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.
Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 21, 2026.
Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.