"The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you'll go!"
- Dr. Seuss
Our
Story
Get to Know Us
While Vermont is often associated with wealthy mountain towns, many Vermonters live below the poverty line, where basic necessities, like running water and electricity, often come before books. We aim to change that by ensuring every child has access to the resources they need to succeed in school and beyond.
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By collecting and distributing books, we help promote literacy in underserved communities. Join us in making education more accessible—one book at a time.
Our Mission
Pawprints is dedicated to empowering young minds by providing access to books that inspire, educate, and open new possibilities. Through the distribution of gently used books to Vermont’s elementary schools, we aim to foster a love for reading and create opportunities for every child to thrive.
STATS
18%
of VT households live in poverty
49%
of VT 3rd graders read at a proficient level
49/50
VT's ranking in economic outlook
What We Do
1
COLLECT
We collect gently used books from school drives, community events, and public drop-off spots. It’s a simple way to donate and help great books find new readers.
2
SORT
Every book we collect goes through a hands-on sorting process, where we organize by age range and reading level. This way, each book finds the right reader at the right time.
3
DISTRIBUTE
We pack up the sorted books and drive them up to Vermont, where we hand-deliver them to schools and community programs, ensuring they go directly to the kids who need them most.
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Partners
About Us
Hi! I'm Jemma Goodman, a high school junior from Connecticut and the founder of PawPrints, a student-led initiative dedicated to closing the literacy gap in Southern Vermont. I started PawPrints because I believe every child deserves the tools to read, learn, and thrive- regardless of where they live. I'm deeply committed to educational equity, and I’m passionate about using creativity, compassion, and community engagement to make a lasting impact. When I’m not working on PawPrints, you can find me freestyle skiing, playing field hockey, reading, screenwriting, or watching Boston sports.
Hi! I'm Dylan Fenyes! I am a junior at Rye Country Day School in New York and I am an executive board member of Pawprints! Childhood literacy is very important to me because I believe every kid should have access to an equal education. I am passionate about PawPrints because we actually work to combat this issue.
