FAQs

Nebraska Growing Readers is a grant-funded partnership between Nebraska Department of Education, Nebraska Children and Families Foundation, the Statewide Family
Engagement Center, and Unite for Literacy to expand access to free books across the state.

The NGR initiative is an effort to inspire a love of reading in the youngest Nebraskans as well as helping nurture parent-child relationships through daily reading. An initial 19 sites will be established where families can access free, culturally and linguistically relevant, picture books. Approximately 1,000 child care providers will
provide books to impact 16,000 children and 12,000 households.

To learn more about Nebraska Growing Readers, click on this question.

This project is made possible through a Nebraska Department of Education ESSER III funding source. If you have additional questions about the grant, you may contact Wendy Keele at wkeele@nebraskachildren.org.

Initially, NGR book distribution will focus on licensed child care centers and home providers. You can register to be a distribution site by completing the registration form on the NGR website. You will receive an email confirming your registration.

To register, go to our Nebraska Growing Readers page by clicking on this question.

No, this program, including digital and printed books, is free to child care providers and centers.

To become a registered Nebraska Growing Readers Center or a family who receives books, you must complete the registration on the Nebraska Growing Readers page (click on this question to register).

Not at this time. When additional funding has been secured, public preschools and other identified locations will be eligible.

Go to the Nebraska Growing Readers main page by clicking on this question, and complete the registration form you find on that page. You will receive
an email confirming your registration.

Your first shipment of books will be received by mail approximately two weeks after you register on the Nebraska Growing Readers website. Subsequently, you will receive monthly boxes of books through the mail through December 2024.

Once you have registered, you will receive books monthly through the end of December 2024.

Once you have registered, you should receive an email confirmation. Approximately two weeks after registration, your books should ship. If you have any questions about shipping, please contact Nicholas McGuffee of Unite for Literacy at nicholas.mcguffee@uniteforliteracy.com.

Unite for Literacy packages the sets of books each month. All child care sites will receive the same titles each month. We are not able to individualize book distribution to different sites.

Registered providers and families will receive books through December 2024. If we receive additional funding, this date will be extended.

Questions concerning NGR should be directed to Wendy Keele at Nebraska Children-- wkeele@nebraskachildren.org or by clicking on the link at the bottom of this page.

You can withdraw your participation at any time. Please contact Wendy Keele, w.keele@nebraskachildren.org, to change your registration status.

Ask families to complete a four question survey when they begin receiving
books.
● Display the books at your location for families and children to see.
● Alert families when new books arrive.
● You will be contacted once a month, via text, email, or phone, to ask how
many books were distributed at your site for the month.
● Ask families to complete a four question survey after receiving books for
one year.