Youth-Led Initiative Fights 'Book Deserts' with Over $1 Million in Donated Books

October 15, 2025
Youth-Led Initiative Fights 'Book Deserts' with Over $1 Million in Donated Books
  • The LiTEArary Society, a volunteer-driven organization founded by Rania Zuri in Morgantown, West Virginia, aims to combat 'book deserts' by providing books to preschoolers in underserved areas, promoting early literacy.

  • Since its inception, the organization has donated over a million dollars' worth of books to more than 91,000 preschoolers across regions lacking access to libraries or bookstores.

  • High school junior Devan Chopra has volunteered with the organization for four years, helping distribute books like 'Pete the Cat' to children in Appalachia to foster early literacy.

  • The LiTEArary Society is youth-led, with chapters across all 50 states, and actively encourages children as young as 12 to participate, emphasizing the importance of early community service involvement.

  • Rania Zuri was recognized with a Daily Point of Light Award in 2022 for her dedicated volunteer work and efforts to address educational inequities through book donations and community engagement.

Summary based on 1 source


Get a daily email with more Literature stories

More Stories