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Kids Need to Read

Providing books to children and organizations that serve children, especially disadvantaged children.

Education Mesa, AZ EIN: 262755631 (IRS) Reg: 26-2755631 (IRS) Sign up to see website
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90
Integrity Assessment
Strong transparency
90/100 · methodology

About Kids Need to Read

Helping children discover the joy of reading and the power of a literate mind Founded with a passion for improving the lives of disadvantaged children by providing inspiring book collections and engaging literacy programs to underfunded schools, libraries, and organizations across the nation, Kids Need to Read aspires to empower and embolden every last child […]

Founded
Headquarters
Mesa, AZ
Foundation type
Supporting organization (509(a)(3))
NTEE code
B90
IRS subsection
501(c)(03)
Ruling date
Size
medium

Verified certifications

Confirmed against the issuing authority - not self-reported.

IRS Tax-Deductible since 2008

Mission

Providing books to children and organizations that serve children, especially disadvantaged children.

Focus areas & reach

· What they work on and where
📚 Education · NTEE B90
Cause tags
SDG alignment The 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are the global agenda for ending poverty, protecting the planet, and ensuring prosperity by 2030. We tag each charity to the goals its work advances.

How it stacks up against peers

· vs. 8 similar education in United States
Program spending This charity: 94%
Peer average: 74%
CEO comp as % of revenue This charity: 8.33%
Peer average: 0.48%
Integrity Assessment This charity: 90
Peer average: 90

Concerns

· None found
No red flags found
Screened for IRS revocation history, Open investigations, Governance scandals, Related-party deals, Excessive exec comp.

Where every $1 goes

· FY2025 · IRS 990 (FY2025)
$0.94
Program$0.94
94% to programs beats the peer average (74%) and beats the Charity Navigator "highly efficient" threshold (75%).

GiveRadar Analysis

Original analysis from GiveRadar's dataset of comparable organizations

Based on the records currently verified by GiveRadar, Kids Need to Read has a complete profile, cross-referenced across 4 independent sources including the IRS.

  • It is one of the better-documented education charities in the United States GiveRadar currently tracks, because GiveRadar has verified its financial disclosures and its governance. Most of those have little verified data on record yet. View this cohort
  • GiveRadar has cross-referenced this organization across 4 independent sources, led by the IRS - more than 85% of similar organizations. See the sources
  • It has more complete contact information than nearly all similar organizations, with a verified website, email, phone and address on record. See national comparisons
GiveRadar has verified
  • government registration
  • financial records (5 filed years)
  • disclosed leadership
  • a website
  • a contact email
  • a donation page
Not yet verified by GiveRadar
  • an owner-submitted profile claim

Analysis based on GiveRadar's benchmark dataset of 2026-07-03. It describes what GiveRadar has verified, not a judgment of the organization itself.

Common questions

· Auto-generated from filings + methodology

Kids Need to Read is a registered education nonprofit based in Mesa, AZ, United States. It is registered with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). It was founded in 2008 and has been operating for 18 years. Its EIN is 262755631. According to GiveRadar's records, it holds active tax-deductible status on the IRS Publication 78 list, which means donations are tax-deductible and the organization is in good standing with the IRS. GiveRadar's Integrity Assessment for the organization is 90/100, which reflects how much public information is available, not whether the charity is legitimate. The organization reports $579K in annual revenue. 47 officers and directors are publicly disclosed. No red flags have been detected.

Kids Need to Read's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 262755631. This is the organization's IRS tax identification number; you can use it to verify tax-exempt status and to look up its Form 990 filings with the IRS.

Kids Need to Read has a GiveRadar Integrity Assessment of 90/100. This score combines five components: Registration (20 pts), Financial Transparency (30 pts), Governance (20 pts), Contact Availability (10 pts), and Data Recency (20 pts), with negative adjustments for any red flags. A score of 90 ('Strong transparency') reflects well-documented governance, recent financials, named leadership, and working contact details. The charity allocates 94% of expenses to programs, which contributes positively to its score. For comparison, the average integrity assessment for education charities in United States is 90/100.

Kids Need to Read is located in Mesa, AZ, United States. The organization was established in 2008 and has been active for 18 years.

Based on official tax filings, Kids Need to Read has $579K in annual revenue. It allocates 94% of expenses to programs and services. This is above the average of 74% for education charities in United States. Its revenue is below the peer average of $7M. Create a free GiveRadar account to view the complete financial breakdown with year-over-year trends.

Kids Need to Read is classified as an Education organization, registered in United States. It operates as a Supporting organization (509(a)(3)). By size, it is categorized as a medium organization. It has $579K in annual revenue. The organization has 47 disclosed officers and directors.

No red flags have been detected for Kids Need to Read. GiveRadar automatically screens charities for concerning patterns including high executive compensation, low program spending, and missing financial filings. Based on available official data, no issues have been identified.

According to GiveRadar's records, Kids Need to Read holds active tax-deductible status on the IRS Publication 78 list, which means donations are tax-deductible and the organization is in good standing with the IRS. It is registered with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). It reports that 94% of expenses go to programs (the peer average is 74%). You can donate directly through their official donation page linked on their GiveRadar profile. GiveRadar provides data for research and does not endorse any organization. A GiveRadar Integrity Assessment reflects how much public data is available, not whether an organization is safe to donate to, so it is always smart to do your own research before giving.

Helping children discover the joy of reading and the power of a literate mind Founded with a passion for improving the lives of disadvantaged children by providing inspiring book collections and engaging literacy programs to underfunded schools, libraries, and organizations across the nation, Kids Need to Read aspires to empower and embolden every last child […] Kids Need to Read is classified as an education organization registered in United States. The organization was founded in 2008.

Among education charities registered in United States: It allocates 94% of expenses to programs, above the peer average of 74%. Its annual revenue of $579K is below the peer average of $7M.

Yes, donations to Kids Need to Read are generally tax-deductible in the United States. Kids Need to Read is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization. Its EIN is 262755631, which you can use for tax filing purposes. Donors can typically deduct contributions on their federal income tax return if they itemize deductions. Consult a tax professional for guidance specific to your situation.

Annual revenue
$100K-$1M
94% to programs
Source: IRS 990 (FY2025) why this matters
Unlock exact figures

Filing history

5 years on file from IRS 990 (FY2025): revenue, expenses, program spending, assets, and liabilities by fiscal year.

Years on record: FY2025, FY2024, FY2023, FY2022, FY2021.
Financial details are free - with a GiveRadar account

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Taxes

Tax-deductibility for donors

Donations may be tax-deductible for residents of United States under local rules. Confirm with the charity directly.

Always confirm tax treatment with the charity directly or your tax advisor before donating.

Staff & volunteers

From filings and published profiles

Employees
3

Leadership

From FY2025 filing

JE
Jessica P••••
Executive Director

Officers & trustees (12)

Source: Public filings

See full names, roles, and stories

12 officers and trustees on file - free with a GiveRadar account.

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Latest news

From global news sources

5 articles found

From news sources and the organization. Shown for transparency; news never affects the integrity score.

Activity timeline

Filings and press mentions, merged

Form filed
$0.6M revenue
FY2025
IRS 990
Kids Need to Read celebrates 18 years of bringing books to children across the country - 12News
Aug 2025
www.12news.com
Form filed
$0.7M revenue
FY2024
IRS 990
Form filed
$1.2M revenue
FY2023
IRS 990
Get kids reading books — not phone screens - New York Post
Oct 2023
nypost.com
Form filed
$0.6M revenue
FY2022
IRS 990
Inside the Massive Effort to Change the Way Kids Are Taught to Read - Time Magazine
Aug 2022
time.com
Unicoi Public Library receives 650 new books from Kids Need to Read’s 'Grow Your Library' program - Elizabethton Star
Apr 2022
elizabethton.com
Form filed
$1.1M revenue
FY2021
IRS 990
13 Books From Your ’80s Childhood Your Kids Need To Read - Scary Mommy
Dec 2020
www.scarymommy.com

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Cause areas in United States

How many charities work in each area, with this charity's area highlighted.

Human Services 322,679
Education this charity 195,586
Arts & Culture 133,128
Advocacy & Civil Rights 128,026
Religion 114,636
Health 98,862
Community Development 56,086
Youth Development 53,450
See all cause areas in United States

Most common causes in United States

Causes charities work on most.

Community Development 235,146
Education 159,016
Religion 103,741
Arts & Culture 101,203
Human Rights 76,926
Health 65,250
Youth Development 47,775
Animal Welfare 32,425

Sources and verification

Registration and legal identity
Internal Revenue Service (IRS) - Tax Exempt Organization Search
Financial filings
IRS Form 990 filings - Fiscal year 2025 most recent on file.
Officers and trustees
Internal Revenue Service (IRS) - Tax Exempt Organization Search - 47 disclosed in the public registry.
News and media coverage
GDELT Project + Google News
Supplementary verification
Charity Navigator

Data freshness

Last updated
Jun 12, 2026
Registry checked
Jun 6, 2026
Profile completeness
100%

What we know and don't know

Exactly which public data we hold on this charity. Our score reflects transparency, not impact.

On record · 10
  • Financial data · FY2025 on record
  • Named leadership · 47 officers on file
  • Executive pay · Disclosed
  • Government registration · Registered with an official registry
  • Mission statement · Published
  • Official website · On record
  • Headquarters address · On file
  • Direct contact · Email or phone published
  • Tax-deductibility · Verified
  • Founding date · 2008
Not available · 1
  • Programs & activities
    No named programs listed by the charity

Methodology

GiveRadar builds each profile primarily from official government charity registries, supplemented where available by third-party nonprofit databases and news archives, and combines it into a single 0-100 integrity assessment. The exact sources for this charity are listed above. We don't take a cut of any donation, ever.

Read full methodology

Are you the owner or a board member?

If you represent this organization and want to correct or update its data, you can claim this listing to edit details yourself, or email [email protected] with the correct information. We review every request and respond within 30 days.

Quick facts about Kids Need to Read

What is Kids Need to Read?
Kids Need to Read is a education supporting organization (509(a)(3)) based in Mesa, United States. Helping children discover the joy of reading and the power of a literate mind Founded with a passion for improving the lives of disadvantaged children by providing inspiring book collections and engaging literacy programs to underfunded schools, libraries, and organizations across the nation, Kids Need to Read aspires to empower and embolden every last child […]
When was Kids Need to Read founded?
Kids Need to Read was founded in 2008.
Who leads Kids Need to Read?
Jessica Payne serves as Executive Director.
Where is Kids Need to Read located?
Headquartered in Mesa, AZ, United States.
What is Kids Need to Read's annual budget?
Annual revenue for fiscal year 2025 is approximately $100K-$1M. 94% of expenses go to program services.
Is Kids Need to Read trustworthy?
Kids Need to Read has a GiveRadar Integrity Assessment of 90 out of 100 (Strong transparency). The score reflects public-data transparency: registration, financial disclosure, governance, contact details, and how recently data was refreshed. It does not measure program impact.
What is Kids Need to Read's registration number?
IRS EIN: 262755631. Registration: 26-2755631 (United States).
What is Kids Need to Read's website?
http://www.kidsneedtoread.org