Charities United States Education Kids Need to Read
Kids Need to Read logo

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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86
Integrity Assessment
Strong transparency
86/100 · 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

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

How it stacks up against peers

· vs. 8 similar education in United States
Program spending This charity: 0%
Peer average: 95%
CEO comp as % of revenue This charity: 8.33%
Peer average: 0.48%
Integrity Assessment This charity: 86
Peer average: 93

Red flags

· All clear
IRS revocation history
Open investigations
Governance scandals
Related-party deals
Excessive exec comp

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. It has a GiveRadar Integrity Assessment of 86/100 (Strong transparency), indicating well-documented governance, financials, and contact details. The organization reports $579K in annual revenue. 47 officers and directors are publicly disclosed. No red flags have been detected.

Kids Need to Read has a GiveRadar Integrity Assessment of 86/100. 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 86 ('Strong transparency') reflects well-documented governance, recent financials, named leadership, and working contact details. For comparison, the average integrity assessment for education charities in United States is 93/100.

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. 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 a Education organization, registered in United States. It operates as a Supporting organization (509(a)(3)). 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.

Kids Need to Read has a GiveRadar Integrity Assessment of 86/100 (Strong transparency) and no red flags have been detected, which suggests it is a well-documented organization. It is regulated by the IRS. You can donate directly through their official donation page linked on their GiveRadar profile. GiveRadar provides data for research purposes and does not endorse any organization. Always do your own due diligence.

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 a education organization registered in United States. The organization was founded in 2008.

Among education charities registered in United States: Kids Need to Read's GiveRadar Integrity Assessment of 86/100 is in line with the peer average of 93/100. 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.

Verified against 4 official sources, last refreshed .

Annual revenue
$100K-$1M
0% 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.
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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.

Leadership

JE
Jessica Payne
Executive Director

Officers & trustees (12)

Source: Public filings

BR
Bruce M•••••••• P••
SECRETARY
CH
Chris I••••••••
Director
DE
Denise G•••
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR 04/20-01/21
DI
Diane E•••••
Director
GA
Gary M••••••
Director
HE
Heather M•••••
TREASURER
JE
Jessica P••••
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
JO
Joe B••••••
Director
KI
Kim O•••••
Director
TI
Tiffany E••••••••
Director
TI
Tina M••••••
Director
TY
Tyson B••••••••
CHAIRMAN
Full names, contact details & compensation

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Latest news

From global news sources

No recent news coverage found

News coverage will appear here when articles mention this organization.

Activity timeline

Filings and press mentions, merged

Form filed
$0.6M revenue
FY2025
IRS_990
Form filed
$0.7M revenue
FY2024
IRS_990
Form filed
$1.2M revenue
FY2023
IRS_990
Form filed
$0.6M revenue
FY2022
IRS_990
Form filed
$1.1M revenue
FY2021
IRS_990

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Peer charities

Other education in United States, by integrity assessment

Charity Score Revenue Program %
Kids Need to Read This page 86 $579,120 -
Engaging Opportunities Foundation 93 $154,246 92%
Bluebonnet Home Scholars Collaborative 93 $496,564 97%
New England Preparatory School Athletic Council 93 $797,579 96%
Insight Colearning Center 93 $599,391 95%
Vphs Baseball Boosters 93 $154,642 97%
Fieldguides Incorporated 93 $435,724 89%
Coal Pit Ministry Inc 93 $208,306 91%
Dream Out Loud Center Inc 93 $218,479 100%

Sources and verification

Refreshed

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.
Supplementary verification
Charity Navigator

Data freshness

Last updated
May 27, 2026
Profile completeness
90%

What we don't know

Honest gaps - our score reflects transparency, not impact

Programs & projects
No named programs listed by the charity
Operating reach
Countries where programs run not specified

Methodology

GiveRadar combines public registry filings, ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer, Charity Navigator, GuideStar, and news archives into a single 0-100 integrity assessment. We don't take a cut of any donation, ever.

Read full methodology

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, United States.
What is Kids Need to Read's annual budget?
Annual revenue for fiscal year 2025 is approximately $100K-$1M. 0% of expenses go to program services.
Is Kids Need to Read trustworthy?
Kids Need to Read has a GiveRadar Integrity Assessment of 86 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