About the Book Drive
The Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Children's Book Drive was started in 2004 and expanded from the Capital District to Buffalo and New York City areas. The initiative collects new or gently used children's books for distribution to elementary, middle, high schools, and after-school programs. The program continues to grow beyond expectations each year. Children can unlock their true potential by embracing the power of the written word by reading, thanks to the generosity of numerous state agencies throughout the state.
Through the continued partnership with the Albany City School District's Literacy Programs, Project Flight (Buffalo State College), Reach Out and Read, Greater New York, the initiative has garnered amazing results and developed many successful alliances. Since 2004, the total number of books collected from all statewide agencies and satellite locations is 455,117. The 2026 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Statewide Children's Book Drive will be held from February 23 through April 17, 2026.
Where to Donate
Look for the donation boxes in the following New York State Office buildings:
| Location Building Name | Address |
|---|---|
| 44 Holland Ave | 44 Holland Avenue, Albany, NY 12229 |
| 50 Wolf Road | 50 Wolf Road, Albany, NY 12205 |
| 110 State Street | 110 State Street, Albany, NY 12236 |
| 328 State Street | 328 State Street, Schenectady, NY 12305 |
| 625 Broadway | 625 Broadway, Albany, NY 12233 |
| Alfred E. Smith State Office Building | 80 S. Swan Street, Albany, NY 12242 |
| Empire State Plaza - Concourse | Governor Nelson A. Rockefeller Empire State Plaza, Albany, NY 12242 |
| Hampton Plaza | 38-40 State Street, Albany, NY 12207 |
| Harriman Campus | 1220 Washington Avenue, Albany, NY 12226 |
| Ten Eyck | 40 North Pearl Street, Albany, NY 12207 |
| Binghamton State Office Building | 44 Hawley Street, Watertown, NY 13601 |
| Dulles State Office Building | 317 Washington Street, Watertown, NY 13901 |
| Henderson-Smith State Office Building | 107 Broadway, Hornell, NY 14843 |
| Homer Folks Facility | 28 Hill Street, Suite 327, Oneonta, NY 13820 |
| Senator John H. Hughes State Office Building | 333 East Washington Street, Syracuse, NY 13202 |
| Utica State Office Building | 207 Genesee Street, Utica, NY 13501 |
| Adam Clayton Powell Jr. State Office Building | 163 West 125th Street, New York, NY 10027 |
| Eleanor Roosevelt State Office Building | 4 Burnett Boulevard, Poughkeepsie, NY 12603 |
| Hudson Valley Transportation Management Center | 200 Bradhurst Avenue, Hawthrone, NY 10532 |
| Perry B. Duryea State Office Building | 250 Veteran's Memorial Highway, Hauppauge, NY 11788 |
| Shirley A. Chisholm State Office Building | 55 Hanson Place, Brooklyn, NY 11217 |
Partner Organizations
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Statewide Book Drive Partner Organization Contact Information:
| Region | Organization | Book Drive Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Capital District | Grassroot Givers 522 Washington Ave. Albany, NY 12203 | Mary Partridge Brown [email protected] 518-599-5157 |
| The RED Bookshelf, Inc. 200 Green Street Albany, NY 12202 | [email protected] | |
| Southend Children's Café 33 Rensselaer Street Albany, NY 12202 | [email protected] (518) 275-8890 | |
| Western New York | Project Flight 1 Lafayette Sq. Buffalo, NY 14203 | Dr. Betty Cappella [email protected] |
| The Buffalo & Erie County Public Library | Geraldine Bard [email protected] (716) 628-3739 | |
| New York City | LiteracyINC NYC 5030 Broadway, Suite 641 New York, NY 10034 | [email protected] (212) 620-5462 |
| ParentChild+ Home Program 242 West 30th St., Suite 1100 New York, NY 10001 | [email protected] (516) 883-7480 |