Recently, United Way of Yellowstone County expanded our Read in Color program to Billings, MT with an event to celebrate the launch. United Way of Yellowstone County is a member of the 2026 Read in Color cohort.
United Way of Yellowstone County’s mission is to address the needs of Yellowstone County and to improve lives by connecting and collaborating for a thriving community, and their vision is a community where every person has the resources to reach their potential.
Read in Color launched in Billings during a community rally event, where a number of community members stopped by to learn about the new local initiative.
“Beyond the number of people, the quality of our interactions was exceptional. Some caregivers and their children began planning out their visits, after taking one of our maps, to where they would go first to visit the new book sharing boxes.” said Emily Pratt, Community Impact Coordinator at United Way of Yellowstone County. “One of my favorite experiences was when two teenage girls stood near the table and enthusiastically had a conversation about some of the books. It was amazing to see their excitement.”
The Read in Color initiative has launched in 31 U.S. cities to date, from New York and Washington, D.C. to Atlanta and Phoenix, with plans for even greater expansion this year. More than 400 Read in Color Little Free Libraries and 60,000+ diverse books celebrating Black, Latinx, Asian, Indigenous, LGBTQ+, and other important voices have been shared so far. Learn more and sign the Read in Color pledge!