Turning No Into Next - Libraries Without Borders US

From the Executive Director

Southeast DC

Turning “No” Into Next: How Collective Action Builds Early Literacy

When funding falls through, showing up together is how we bridge the gap for families.

A PK3 learner opens his LIFT kit at Early Childhood Academy Public Charter School in Congress Heights.

Lovesun Parent, EdD

Executive Director, Libraries Without Borders US

In nonprofit work, you hear “no” far more often than you hear “yes.”

Earlier this year, Libraries Without Borders US applied for funding to expand LIFT (Libraries Inspiring Families Together), our early literacy program that builds home libraries for families across DC, Richmond, and Baltimore while connecting them to their local public libraries. The funder passed. They weren’t sure how we differed from the public library system and wanted to invest in organizations with a broader footprint. Yet, LWB has never seen itself as an alternative to the DC Public Library—we‘re a partner, working alongside them to amplify their reach and ensure every family can access what they offer.

It was a fair question, but a rejection doesn’t have to be the end of the story. Nonprofits hear “no” all the time, but we keep moving forward because showing up isn’t conditional on getting a green light. Public institutions like the DC Public Library know this deeply—whether their budget gets approved or delayed, whether facilities are waiting on funding or infrastructure repairs, they still have to open their doors and serve. We have to show up, too. In our sector, turning a closed door into a conversation about who else needs us is how we build what comes next.

That’s the standard we hold ourselves to at LWB US. Instead of filing the rejection away, we asked the funder a different question: “Who do you know that is doing this work and needs a partner?”

They connected us to Wendy Edwards, the Executive Director of Early Childhood Academy Public Charter School in Southeast DC. Wendy didn’t invite us to a formal meeting to debate strategy; she invited us into a room full of families arriving for PK3 and PK4 orientation in Congress Heights.

Congress Heights is a community rich in history and pride, but it sits in a neighborhood that has endured decades of structural underinvestment. On a hot summer day, options for young families are limited. The local Bellevue library branch has faced recurring closures due to a failing cooling system, leaving families to rely on Parklands-Turner, a tiny 4,900-square-foot storefront library tucked into a strip mall. A beautiful new 20,000-square-foot facility is on the horizon for 2027, but right now, parents with four-year-olds are navigating real physical gaps in service.

We don’t fill those gaps alone—it takes an ecosystem.

This week at Early Childhood Academy, we placed 320 brand-new books, 80 hands-on activity kits, 80 learning buddies, and critical library access materials directly into the hands of 80 young learners and their families in Southeast DC. Those kits exist because of a web of trust:

What 80 young learners and their families in Southeast DC took home:

320

brand-new books placed in family hands

hands-on activity kits assembled by hand

plush learning buddies to read alongside

Deloitte team members on their day of service

Corporate allies like Deloitte, who stepped up by funding the materials and sending 30 team members to assemble every kit by hand on their day of service.

A funder who passed on a grant proposal, but still believed enough in the mission to make a warm introduction.

A school leader, Wendy Edwards, who opened her doors and trusted us with her community.

A public library system, providing the long-term destination we pointed every single family toward.

No single institution can solve the literacy crisis on its own, but together, our combined strengths create something far greater than the sum of our parts. A public charter school creates the daily learning environment, a public library offers lifetime community access, a corporate partner mobilizes dedicated volunteer power, and a literacy nonprofit bridges the immediate gap in between. When each of us leverages our specific strengths, we build a seamless network of support around every child.

Investments from funders keep the lights on, but the commitment to show up is what actually moves a neighborhood forward. That truth doesn‘t vanish when a grant falls through.

LIFT materials and library access resources set out for families at orientation.

So ask yourself: Where in your work can a “no” become an invitation to build a bigger table?

Who in your community is waiting for a partner to show up?

Real systemic change doesn’t happen when we wait for the perfect grant or the ideal conditions—it happens when we pool our leverage, answer the call, and show up together.

About the Author

Dr. Lovesun Parent, EdD

Lovesun is the Executive Director of Libraries Without Borders US (LWB US). LWB US works to expand access to information, literacy resources, and community connections by meeting families where they are.

Show up with us.

LIFT builds home libraries for families across DC, Richmond, and Baltimore — and points every one of them back to their public library.