2025 Newsletters
September - The Changemaker Effect: How You’re Transforming Education
Earlier this month, Libraries for Kids Int’l founder Roy Austin attended a powerful event hosted by Books for Africa. The gathering brought together changemakers, diplomats, and athletes, all united by one mission: getting books into the hands of children who need them most.
While at the event, Roy met with His Excellency Mohamed Siad Doualeh, the United States Ambassador to Djibouti. Their conversation focused on establishing a relationship, as our mission is centered on the importance of literacy and education across Africa. Roy also connected with Josh Powell (photo below), two-time NBA Champion with the Los Angeles Lakers, who shares our belief that education is the ultimate game-changer ~ pun intended. Roy shared that he was humbled by Josh and spoke of his humility in serving others and his giving heart.
But the most pivotal moment wasn’t just the connections, it was the collaboration. We are expanding into Uganda! Libraries for Kids collaborated with Pat Polanski, Executive Director of Books for Africa, to secure space in an upcoming container shipment. This Uganda project is already underway and scheduled to ship in Q4, marking a major milestone in our mission to bring libraries to rural primary schools across East Africa.
In addition, Books for Africa just notified us that our 296,955 books, which departed in mid-August, are set to arrive in Mombasa, Kenya, on October 20. Our incredible partner Ciku and her team are currently on the ground delivering books to schools and preparing for five more containers to arrive by then.
Every book we send is a bridge, connecting children to knowledge, opportunity, and hope. With your continued support, we’re turning pages into possibilities. Thank you, from our hearts to yours.
The last and final exciting piece, next month we’ll be launching our 2026 World Book Day campaign! Prepare yourself for April 25, 2026, because it is going to be impactful. We are bringing dreams from our students right to the Port Royal Sound Foundation that Saturday evening. If you’d like to receive emails exclusively about this event, please visit our website. There’s a banner at the very top where you can subscribe to those updates ONLY.
Stay tuned as we prepare this shipment and share stories from the schools that will receive these books. Your donations, encouragement, and belief in our mission make all of this possible.
Let’s keep building libraries. Let’s keep changing lives.
Because you are the reason these kids have a changemaker.
August - From Milestone Moments, to A Special Trip and A Global Celebration on the Horizon
We’ve got exciting news and upcoming events to share. From milestone moments that boost kids’ access to books, to a special trip and a global celebration on the horizon, there’s a lot to explore. Here are the highlights.
We’ve reached remarkable milestones over the past year:
Five 40-ft. containers bound for Kenya are carrying a total of 296,995 books.
Libraries for Kids has now shipped over 1.4 million books in roughly five and a half years.
Looking ahead, Roy is traveling to Atlanta on September 5 for a Books for Africa event.
Save the Date: Dreams Under the Serengeti 2026 is April 25, 2026 at the Port Royal Sound Foundation.
In the coming months, we will be looking forward to giving you a new Library account as Ciku is delivering books and making room for the five containers that will arrive in about 10 to 12 weeks time. That’s 296,995 treasured stories finding their way to eager hands and imaginations hungry to grow. Thank you for your continued support.
Roy’s trip to Atlanta, a Books for Africa event We can’t miss. Roy will be in Atlanta on September 5 for a Books for Africa event. This trip is more than a moment on the calendar, it’s a chance to connect with our partners, celebrate our shared literacy wins, and explore new ways to broaden access to books for kids everywhere.
We’re thrilled to announce World Book Day 2026!
Dreams Under the Serengeti
Date and time: Friday, April 25 at 5:00 PM
What to expect: A Serengeti celebration of dreams, Africa, and celebration. We launch this event page next month.
Save the date and join us for an unforgettable celebration of stories and dreams.
May - Libraries for Kids Int’l CEO Meets with Kenya’s Ambassador to the United States in Minnesota
Roy is in Africa, Laura flew to Minnesota, and Libraries for Kids secured 4 more containers of books! We have a LOT of EXCITING news in this letter!
Roy arrived in Nairobi, Kenya, on Memorial Day, accompanied by Joe Keith—an enthusiastic supporter of our mission and a talented videographer and photographer working with WHHI News. Joe’s support has been invaluable, and WHHI has been a long time supporter, helping spread our mission throughout the Lowcountry. Within just the first two days in Africa, Roy and Joe visited the warehouse and the Kuamba School in Kenya, witnessing firsthand the progress and potential of our efforts. As some of you know, due to Kenya’s new laws, we had to remove all content involving students and children from our platforms. However, Joe is spearheading our first project to create new, compliant content—capturing the stories and smiles of the children we serve, so we can continue sharing their inspiring journeys with you. While in Africa, Roy will be visiting several schools, witnessing our impact, strengthening relationships, and laying the groundwork for future expansion into Tanzania and Uganda. As he transitions to Tanzania, he’ll connect with Rotary clubs and organizations to build a foundation for growth. From there, he’ll head to Uganda, working to establish similar partnerships and frameworks to broaden our reach across East Africa. Meanwhile, Laura has flown to Minnesota to attend a Books for Africa event. If you joined us for our "Night Under the African Stars" on April 26, you’ll remember meeting Tom Warth, the founder of Books for Africa—an organization that has become a key logistics partner in our mission to bring books and education to children in need. Thanks to this partnership, we’re able to operate with maximum efficiency, sharing stories and knowledge that can change lives.
During her trip, Laura also had the honor of meeting His Excellency David Kerich, the Kenyan Ambassador to the United States. Her visit to Minnesota resulted in an incredible breakthrough: securing not just one, but two buy-one-get-one containers of books—an opportunity that will significantly boost our mission. These four containers will be shipped later this year, adding to the quarter of a million books already on the ground in Kenya, ready for distribution. Looking ahead, next month Laura will travel to Washington D.C. to meet with the Embassy of the Republic of Zambia, further strengthening our international partnerships. And there’s more exciting news—stay tuned for our upcoming Father’s Day Raffle! Prizes include: A private Burnt Church Distillery tour for 8 Grounds tickets to Heritage 2026 (Saturday and Sunday) A Moss Creek Golf Package for 4, with a golf cart You won’t want to miss this opportunity to support our mission and celebrate fathers everywhere.
Finally, we’re thrilled to share that Scratch Italian Kitchen & Bar in Port Royal has chosen Libraries for Kids as their July 8th charity partner, helping us continue our vital work. (see below for more!) Thank you for standing with us—your support is transforming lives across continents, one story, one book, and one child at a time.
April - A Night Under the African Stars
ONLINE AUCTION ~ APRIL 18TH 12pm to APRIL 30TH 12pm. Libraries for Kids is hosting an online auction option for all of those who cannot attend our event on April 26th. This online auction is open to anyone around the nation! Please share with your friends and family. Follow the VIEW link to the right to access our online auction. The online auction will be open - April 18th and closing at 12pm on April 30. Anyone participating in the online auction will have access to all items, excluding the live auction section which will be view only prior to the event. If any of these live auction / event only packages are of interest, please purchase a ticket and we will see you, April 26th! VIEW LIVE AUCTION - APRIL 26th - EVENT ONLY VIEW Libraries for Kids is hosting our annual World Book Day Celebration – "A Night Under the African Stars" event. This event will be held at the Port Royal Sound Foundation located at 310 Okatie Highway. The event starts at 5pm. Please follow the VIEW link to the right, to access and view the live auction items that will be present and available on April 26th ONLY. These items are not for bid online, if you would like to participate in any of the packages available in our live auction. Please purchase a ticket or table and we will see you April 26th!
Why are we raising $200,000? A child who is read one picture book by an adult EVERY DAY will be exposed to approximately 78,000 different words each year. From birth to kindergarten those children will have been exposed to 1.4 MILLION more words than children who are not exposed to books. It is fact - that a child who is exposed to reading will be directly impacted - specifically their future language skills and academic success. We are changing this with the 1.1+ MILLION books we have shipped and the MILLIONS of books we still have to go!
March - A Night Under the African Stars News
This is the biggest month of the year for Libraries for Kids! This month, we open our arms to bring people together with help from our community and local businesses as well as national ones - to launch our mission into 2026. We are just wrapping up in Kenya with the stamping and sorting of over a quarter of 1 million books and will be soon underway to delivering them to rural primary schools. By midsummer time, we are expected to be somewhere in the 12,000 library range! Our night under the African stars event is coming together incredibly well! So many people are supporting us with auction items, volunteer time, their expertise, and sponsorship (Sponsors Below!) Chef Bennett of Okàn in Bluffton and the entire team have been hard at work to create a beautiful menu and we are excited to announce a few of the following:
The Tacarón has handpicked African wines for the evening. Lot9 Brewing Co. is working directly with Okàn to brew special beer to compliment our menu. Service Brewing Co. is also coordinating a fantastic selection for the evening to accompany our menu. Lowcountry Taps will be servicing an open bar with everything mentioned - plus Tito’s Handmade Vodka cocktails! Special Guest: Tom Warth - Founder of Books for Africa (Libraries for Kids book partner) is flying in at his own expense to attend, share his stories and transport everyone to Africa with his storytelling. He was been working in Africa longer than the CEO of Libraries for Kids has been alive! You will be in for the most memorable experience. There will be a LIVE AUCTION as well as an ONLINE AUCTION for those who have to celebrate with us next time.
February - Happy Birthday to Our Founder & President!
Today, we celebrate a very special person—our founder and president, Coach Roy Austin! Boy oh boy, are we all thankful that when Roy first traveled to Africa, God planted this seed in his heart—a vision to bring books and educational opportunities to children in such remote areas. With many hands joining together, as anything great requires, that seed has flourished into something truly remarkable. Now, almost 6 years later, Roy celebrates his birthday (50 a little shipping and handling) with an incredible milestone —over 1.1 million books shipped and more than 9,200 libraries created! What a testament to faith, perseverance, and the power of many hands in our amazing community! We will be continuing this celebration on April 26th at 5:00pm. Follow the link below to join us - see you there!
January - New Year, New Adventures!
New Year, New Adventures!
We have expanded into Tanzania with our 1st library, & We have established 654 NEW libraries in the Northwest region of Kenya!
We have had a busy month! What a thrilling start to the new year! As we turn the page into February, we’re bursting with excitement to share our latest month's adventures: Tanzania has officially joined our map! This vibrant country is now part of our mission to spread literacy and joy through the power of books. Below you will see a photo the headteacher Jollo Ntaya and a teacher of Kisiwani Primary School in Same, Tanzania, receiving books from our organization. But that’s not all—our journey has led us to establish another incredible 654 libraries in Northeast Kenya! Imagine the smiles on children’s faces as they dive into new worlds filled with stories and knowledge. Just think about the impact this has on not only these students but their community: Libraries for Kids has now impacted over 2.3 million students! Together, we’re not just delivering books; we’re building futures, one library at a time. As we celebrate these achievements, we invite you to join us on April 26th! Our World Book Day Celebration will be held at the Port Royal Sound Foundation, and Chef Bernard Bennett of Okàn in Bluffton is curating an exclusive dinner menu. We have a wonderful night planned to transport you to Africa for the evening!
Thank you for being part of our mission, you are the foundation that is making this impact in a big way