KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Patrick Mahomes and his 15 and the Mahomies Foundation is teaming up with metro nonprofit organizations to give 25,000 books to schools across the metro.

The foundation selected Lead to Read KC as one of its community partners in 2019. The two groups have been working together to promote the importance of reading ever since.

“It’s fabulous, and we’re really, we’re teaming up to help the kids in Kansas City. Our mission at Lead to Read KC is to support students social, emotional, and reading skills because they are so foundational to children’s success,” Pauly Hart, Executive Director of Lead to Read KC, said.

The partnership between Lead to Read and 15 & The Mahomies is helping provide all first, second and third graders personal reading mentors every week.

“One thing we need to remember is that kids spend about 80% of their waking hours outside of school and so we need to get kids reading wherever they are,” Hart said. “That’s why the read for 15, the Mahomies Foundation is so timely. We want kids to be reading every day for 15 minutes for 15 weeks.”

Lead to Read KC suggests reading every night to and with your children. The organization also suggests throwing a bag of books in your car so you children can read while you’re running errands around town.