LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The Addie & Baylor Kirchgessner Foundation strives to enrich the lives of children through books and stories.

What You Need To Know

  • The Addie & Baylor Kirchgessner Foundation strives to enrich the lives of children through books and stories 

  • Matt Kirchgessner helped start the nonprofit in honor of his late children, Addie and Baylor, who died in an accident in Panama City

  • The foundation recently held the Scholastic Book Fair at Stonestreet Elementary, where every student got to pick out three books at no cost to them 

  • This year, the foundation's goal is to get 100,000 books into the hands of children, Kirchgessner said 

It was created in 2020 after the Kirchgessner family lost their children, Addie and Baylor, in an accident in Panama City. Matt Kirchgessner was their father and co-founded the nonprofit.

“They were just two fun loving kids," Kirchgessner said. "Baylor was four, and Addie was six; they (loved) to read."

"Addie was just getting to where she was just being an avid reader ... starting in 'Junie B. Jones' and chapter books. And Baylor was kind of getting started, but we read to our kids every night.” 

The foundation host Scholastic Book Fairs at schools across Louisville and southern Indiana to help children get excited about reading.

Stonestreet Elementary fifth-graders Ainsley Grant and Anthony Dean said they love reading, and the fair helps create their own home libraries.

“Reading shouldn't be a punishment," Grant said. "It should be something fun that you can do, instead of spending all your time on a screen."

The fair recently visited Stonestreet Elementary, where every student got to pick out three books at no cost to them. Volunteer Tram Nguiyen said she would have loved something like this as a kid.

“With all the new technology in the world ... I think it's important that literature and literacy is something that should be on top of our minds, especially for our youth," Nguiyen said. 

Stonestreet Elementary principal Donnie Boemaer said this helps increase access to books for the younger generation. 

“In the last state testing, our reading scores improved, so this is another way that we can increase our scores in reading," Boemaer said. 

Kirchgessner said the foundation's goal this year is to get 100,000 books into the hands of children to keep sparking their imagination. 

“With everything we chose, we had a choice," Kirchgessner said. "We had a choice to be better or to be bitter, and we chose to be better. And that's what we're doing here; we're making a difference in the community."

"Addie and Baylor are making a difference in the community. This is their legacy. They love to help people, and this is just an extension of them.” 

With a positive impact already being felt, Kirchgessner said the foundation is just getting started.

The Addie & Baylor Kirchgessner Foundation has put 26,000 books into the hands of young readers, built a school library and playground and is teaching children life skills through golf. For every $6 donated, a child will receive a book.

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