Read more, help more.
That’s our motto.
Our story
On the mend after several years of dealing with difficult health issues, Rachel Cleveland wanted to share her love of reading while giving back to her Twin Cities community. With a master in public policy and background in nonprofit work and development, the idea for Little Charity Book Truck was born.
By not having a brick and mortar storefront, Little Charity Book Truck has very few administrative and overhead costs. Similarly, all individuals involved with the book truck are volunteers, so every dollar made through book purchases goes directly back into the community. It’s truly a passion project. Reading books while helping others, what could be better?
Our mission
Spreading a love of reading, one book at a time, to support youth-focused Minnesota charities in their goal of improving the lives of the people in their communities.
Our vision
To ignite a passion for reading while lifting up Minnesota’s youth in need.
Our impact
After our first season in operation, Little Charity Book Truck donated $12,000 to our 2024 partner charities, V3 Sports and The Link. The button below will take you to our annual report where you can learn more.
“With the support of the Little Charity Book Truck, The Link will provide a safe and stable home for more than 275 youth and families in the Twin Cities Metro this year. This means young people will have a safe place to sleep, support from trusted adults who believe in them, and access to the services they need to thrive. We are incredibly grateful for the partnership of the Little Charity Book Truck and to everyone who shopped for books this year- your support is helping to change the lives of youth in our community!”
FAQs
How do you raise money?
Little Charity Book Truck runs bookselling events throughout the summer around the Twin Cities and the metro area. We purchase brand new books at a discount from a distributor, sell them to you at list price, and our partner charity receive that 40%. For example, if you buy a $30 hardcover book from LCBT, $12 goes directly to our partner organizations.
Can I buy books or audiobooks online?
Yes! Visit our bookshop.org storefront to do so. We do our best to keep it updated with new and interesting titles. Thirty percent of the cover price is donated directly to our partner charities. If you prefer audiobooks, please consider supporting our organization by connecting to our Libro.fm audiobookshop.
Who do you donate to?
LCBT’s mission is to support youth, young adults, and young families here in Minnesota. Our 2025 partner is Avenues for Youth. You can learn more about them on the Donate page.
Can you attend our event?
Probably! Little Charity Book Truck is open to attending public events including farmers markets, community festivals, art fairs, maker markets, local celebrations, breweries, wineries, coffee shops, bakeries, etc. Because we are a 501c3 nonprofit, we cannot attend any political or religious events. We only have one truck and are first come, first served. So if you know you’d like LCBT to attend, please reach out early: send an email with information about the event through the Contact page. As a note, we cannot operate in rainy weather.
Do you only sell new books? Can I donate books?
We only sell new books and do not accept used book donations.
How can our organization receive funds raised by Little Charity Book Truck?
We partner with one charitable organization a year. If your Minnesota nonprofit supports youths, young adults, and/or young families and you are interested in partnering with Little Charity Book Truck in the future, send an email with your organization’s interest via the Contact page.