Last month, a Northern Virginia nonprofit launched “The Secret Garden at Britepaths,” a welcoming, in-office book nook where children can choose and take home free, new and gently used books. This cozy space is designed to spark imagination, encourage a passion for reading and promote literacy growth in children of all ages.
Having recently celebrated its 40th anniversary, Britepaths has grown from specializing in hunger and food security to offering a holistic support network, including financial assistance, workforce development and financial empowerment services — ultimately helping families in crisis move toward self-sufficiency and long-term success.
The Inspiration Behind the Secret Garden
Last year, when Abra Kurt stepped into the role of executive director at Britepaths, she immediately set out to create the nook, a project fueled by her love of reading and advocacy for children’s literacy.
“The Secret Garden” was one of Kurt’s favorite childhood books, with themes of transformation, community and discovery — the perfect metaphor for the hidden, little library in Britepaths’ office.
“So many of us at the office are voracious readers and book lovers,” Kurt said. “We already had a free staff library, and I wanted to bring that joy to the families we serve, too.”
Cora Lundgren, food security and youth programs manager, added “Families often visit our office to pick up grocery gift cards or hygiene supplies, and sometimes they bring their kids. The nook is a wonderful way to engage the children and bring joy to their visit.”
Planting Seeds: Literacy, Pride and Community
The Secret Garden aligns closely with Britepaths’ mission of helping families thrive. One of its key pillars is supporting vulnerable children, which it does through food assistance, back-to-school programs and now literacy.
“Books are critical to children’s academic success, emotional growth and social skills,” Kurt said. “They help break cycles of intergenerational poverty, build empathy and open new worlds.”
The book collection reflects the community’s diversity, offering both bilingual and multilingual options, helping children and parents improve their language skills together. Books are sorted by age group, from baby books to young adult novels.
Britepaths hopes to expand The Secret Garden by incorporating literature for guardians to encourage family-wide reading, especially because it’s so important for children to see those habits modeled at home.
One mother even chose a bilingual book so she could improve her English while reading to her baby, a clear example of the ripple effects that access to books can create.
A Community Effort in Full Bloom
Britepaths partners with dozens of local organizations, schools and volunteers to keep the nook stocked and vibrant so children can feel proud of their growing home libraries.
More than half of the staff donates books from their personal collections, while corporate partners and community members — including Kurt’s own book club — pitch in. One board member organized a donation drive at Main Street Bank, bringing in several crates of books to the ribbon cutting.
When the nook officially opened, the celebration was filled with smiles as client families and their children eagerly explored the library, selecting books to take home.
“For many of the families we serve, books can feel like a luxury,” Kurt said. “Giving children books to keep — rather than just borrow — fosters pride, learning and joy.”
In its first three weeks, The Secret Garden gave away 68 books to 37 children, ranging in age from one month to 18 years. Britepaths also conducted a follow-up survey that found 100% of families said they would recommend the nook to others, with 85% believing it will help foster children’s literacy in the community.
To learn more or to coordinate a donation, please visit britepaths.org.
