Give.org logo
Support Give.org
Support Give.org
CHARITY REVIEW
Issued: August 2025 Expires: August 2027

Kids Read Now, Inc.

Standards Not Met
Standards Not Met
1 4 11
(877) 536-0130
55 Marybill Dr S
Troy, OH, 45373-1033
https://kidsreadnow.org/
📄 Full Report 🖨️ Print 📋 BBB Charity Standards

Standards For Charity Accountability

Governance

  1. Board Oversight
  2. Board Size
  3. Board Meetings
  4. Board Compensation
  5. Conflict of Interest

Measuring Effectiveness

  1. Effectiveness Policy
  2. Effectiveness Report

Finances

  1. Program Expenses
  2. Fundraising Expenses
  3. Accumulating Funds
  4. Audit Report
  5. Detailed Expense Breakdown
  6. Accurate Expense Reporting
  7. Budget Plan

Fundraising & Info

  1. Truthful Materials
  2. Annual Report
  3. Website Disclosures
  4. Donor Privacy
  5. Cause Marketing Disclosures
  6. Complaints

Kids Read Now, Inc. does not meet the following 3 Standards for Charity Accountability:

Standard 1 (Oversight of Operations and Staff)
Organizations shall have a board of directors that provides adequate oversight of the charity's operations and its staff. Indication of adequate oversight includes, but is not limited to, regularly scheduled appraisals of the CEO's performance, evidence of disbursement controls such as board approval of the budget, fund raising practices, establishment of a conflict of interest policy, and establishment of accounting procedures sufficient to safeguard charity finances.

Kids Read Now, Inc. does not meet this standard because:

The organization's board chairperson is compensated.  

Standard 4 (Compensated Board Members)
Not more than one or 10% (whichever is greater) directly or indirectly compensated person(s) serving as voting member(s) of the board. Compensated members shall not serve as the board's chair or treasurer.

Kids Read Now, Inc. does not meet this standard because:

18% of the organization's board is compensated.  

Standard 11 (Financial Statements)
Make available to all, on request, complete annual financial statements prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. When total annual gross income exceeds $1 million, these statements should be audited in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards. For charities whose annual gross income is less than $1 million, a review by a certified public accountant is sufficient to meet this standard. For charities whose annual gross income is less than $250,000, an internally produced, complete financial statement is sufficient to meet this standard.

Kids Read Now, Inc. does not meet this standard because:

The organization did not send BBB an audit.  

Kids Read Now, Inc. meets the remaining 17 Standards for Charity Accountability.

Stated Purpose:
Our mission is to help educators eliminate reading gaps amongst students in pre-kindergarten through fifth grade.

Year, State Incorporated:
2012, OH

Kids Read Now is a non-profit summer home book delivery program for kids in grades pre-k through 5th grade leading the charge for a more literate tomorrow. Students select 8 books from our wishlist of popular, well known, and new titles that they want to read. Studies show when students can select what they want to read, they are more likely to complete that book, and are likely to re-read it several more times. Parents receive weekly messages encouraging family reading time using the new, weekly delivered, Kids Read Now book that arrives to the home mailbox. All family members are encouraged to complete the discovery sheet on the inside cover of every book, and to report the book as read once done. Repeated studies show that students who take full advantage of the Kids Read Now program not only eliminate, but reverse learning loss over the summer months. 

For the year ended September 30, 2024, Kids Read Now, Inc.'s program expenses were:

Programs $5,073,942
Total Program Expenses $5,073,942

Chief Executive
Kristen Walter, CEO

Chair of the Board
Leib Lurie, Co Founder

Chair's Profession / Business Affiliation

Board Size
11

Paid Staff Size
19

Method(s) Used:
Direct mail appeals, Invitations to fund raising events, Grant proposals, Planned giving arrangements, Appeals via Social Media (Facebook, etc.)

% of Related Contributions on Fundraising: 12.39%

This organization is tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. It is eligible to receive contributions deductible as charitable donations for federal income tax purposes.

The following information is based on Kids Read Now, Inc.'s IRS Form 990 for the year ended September 30, 2024.

Source of Funds
Program Service Revenue $3,504,751
Contributions and Grants $2,180,526
Investment Income $2,142
Total Income $5,687,419

Programs: 89% Fundraising: 5% Administrative: 6%

Total Income $5,687,419
Total expenses: $5,692,510
  Program expenses $5,073,942
  Fundraising expenses $270,088
  Administrative expenses $348,480
  Other expenses $0
Income in Excess of Expenses $-5,091
Beginning Net Assets $-2,451,839
Other Changes In Net Assets $0
Ending Net Assets $-2,456,930
Total Liabilities $4,036,283
Total Assets $1,579,353

An organization may change its practices at any time without notice. A copy of this report has been shared with the organization prior to publication. It is not intended to recommend or deprecate, and is furnished solely to assist you in exercising your own judgment. If the report is about a charity and states the charity meets or does not meet the Standards for Charity Accountability, it reflects the results of an evaluation of information and materials provided voluntarily by the charity. The name Better Business Bureau is a registered service mark of the International Association of Better Business Bureaus.

This report is not to be used for fundraising or promotional purposes.

RELATED CONTENT

Report completed by:
BBB of Dayton and Miami Valley