Our Mission
Books for Boots is a 100% volunteer operated 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that provides new and gently used books, movies, music cd's, puzzles, craft items, and more to all members of our military - from injured recruits at basic training to veterans and military children.
Our items come from individuals in our community, libraries, library support groups, publishers, and even authors themselves. Every item we provide is a gift from our community. When someone donates to our mission, it’s more than just giving an item - it’s a heartfelt way of saying, we see you, we appreciate you, and we care about you. It’s a gesture of genuine gratitude for our military members. Items and delivery (or shipping) are provided at no cost to the military, military members or their families, always.
This mission was started in May 2023 after an injured Marine recruit asked for books. To read more, check out our story! As of June 16th, 2026, we have provided over 18,500 items to our military members!
We have several active programs - read more about them on our Programs page.
Our newest campaign is LEAVE YOUR MARK - a printable bookmark template that anyone anywhere can participate in.
There's more to see! Be sure to explore the menu on our website - LOTS of info is posted and available.
***Heard about our biggest need - a space to operate from? THIS is what we are looking for.
The Marine that started it all!
What we do:
- Gather donated items from our local community
- Items are cleaned, checked for damage, and inventoried
- Items are boxed according to media or item type and size
- Some items are organized and stored in a book room until a request is made for any of the programs we offer
- Excess items are donated to other local nonprofits and organizations in our community
Items that we can't use are donated to various organizations in our community - our way of giving back to the community that helps us achieve so much. We've been able to support:
- Friends of Ascension Parish Library, Friends of the LSU Libraries
- Several Little Free Library stands in our Greater Baton Rouge area
- Over 1,500 children's books to Mission of Health (MOH) - who serves foster children and families in Ascension Parish
- One BReath Project in Baton Rouge for families in need
- Friendship House
- Special foster child playrooms in Gonzales through The Table Church (Tiffany Young) and DCFS
- Red, White, and Youth All American School Kickoff event held at the VFW Post 3693 in Gonzales, Louisiana
- Little Free Art Libraries
100 % Volunteer operated
We are in need of a real place to operate from and would love for it to double as the nation's first free bookstore and military resource center for military members. All funds donated go to our existing operating costs, shipping costs, materials (such as bookshelves) and this need. We strive to make sure every donation is stretched to the fullest extent possible.
Consider a Box sponsorship for $40 each box. This covers shipping expenses for a box of books for injured recruits. The majority of boxes are about 17” x 11” x 13” and can hold anywhere from 30 large hardback books to over 50 paperback books and weigh about 35-55lbs. If the actual cost of shipping is less than $40, the remaining portion would apply to costs for shipping other items, such as movies, CD’s, puzzles, or craft items.
Gather your new and / or gently used books, movies, music CD's, puzzles, or craft items and drop off today. Please see our "How to donate items" page from our website menu above. **Please** ensure items meet our guidelines before bringing to a location - See below for guidelines
Items we accept:
Click on a group below for more information & guidelines
There are several secure ways to support Books for Boots through monetary donations:
- Zeffy (listed below) is a secure platform with no fees for donors or Books for Boots.
- Donorbox (the green box) offers multiple giving options through its payment processor.
- Venmo and PayPal are also available for easy, trusted giving.
If you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to reach out at melissa@booksforboots.org. We’re happy to help!
Zeffy
Zeffy is a 100% free and secure fundraising platform! Click
Donorbox has several options through the green form below.
We also accept donations through paypal and venmo!
PayPal @Booksforboots
Venmo @Booksforboots
*Tax compliant donation receipts are sent immediately after all donations, regardless of method.
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