(NewsUSA) - For millions of children across America, the back-to-school season is filled with excitement and promise. But for far too many, it begins without access to books—the most critical tool for academic success. Every student deserves to walk into school embraced by the excitement of learning—not burdened by what they lack.  Marine Toys for Tots—the Nation’s premier Christmastime children’s charity—has grown into a powerful, year-round force for good. Among its year-round programs, the Toys for Tots Literacy Program continues to provide pages of possibility and ignite a love of reading to disadvantaged children well beyond the holiday season through Operation Turn the Page.

The Operation Turn the Page initiative focuses on reaching children in underserved communities who are attending Title I funded schools, where access to books and literacy resources is limited. By distributing high-quality, age-appropriate books and educational resources through schools, libraries, and trusted community partners, the Program empowers children to strengthen reading skills—and unlock their full potential.

“A backpack, notebook, or set of pencils might seem like small items, but for a child who has none of these essentials, they represent hope, dignity, and the chance to start school on equal footing with their peers,” says LtGen Laster, CEO of the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation.

This need is urgent:  National assessments show that two-thirds of American fourth graders are not reading proficiently—and more than a third are reading below grade level. Without early intervention, these children fall further behind—facing challenges in school that often carry into adulthood.

“Reading is the foundation for everything—education, opportunity, and lifelong success,” LtGen Laster emphasizes. “With this initiative, we’re not just providing books to children in need—we’re providing hope, confidence, and the ability to dream bigger.”

The Program provided backpacks filled with school supplies and books to hundreds of local foster children in Mt Laurel, New Jersey, as part of their back-to-school summer distributions. Thanks to local Toys for Tots Coordinator, Gina Capate, and her team of volunteers, the foster children were welcomed into a space designed just for them—a place where joy, choice, and care were front and center.

One foster child said, “I picked a book about space and one about animals. I’m going to read them both tonight!”

“For many of the children we support, the books we provide might be the first book they’ve ever owned,” LtGen Laster adds. “Each one is a building block toward a brighter future and will open a world of possibilities and opportunities for these children.”

The Toys for Tots Literacy Program also recently provided back-to-school essentials to children living in Austin, Texas. In partnership with Tackle Hunger and Shepherd of the Hills Presbyterian Church, the event welcomed hundreds of children attending Title I funded schools, and each child received essential school supplies and a toy to mark the start of a new school year—small gifts that carried big meaning.

"This wasn't just a back-to-school event—it was a reminder that every child deserves to feel prepared, seen, and celebrated," said one volunteer. 

Through Operation Turn the Page, supporters help the Toys for Tots Literacy Program provide educational resources to disadvantaged children. In 2024, the Program delivered 2.8 million books—building confidence for children who once felt left behind, developing reading skills that create lifelong learners, and filling backpacks with possibilities.

To learn more about the Toys for Tots Literacy Program and to donate, visit https://www.toysfortots.org/programs/literacy-program/. Together, let’s turn every backpack and book into a vessel of hope.