Cincinnati Bengals and Queen City Book Bank Partner to Put More Books into the Hands of Cincinnati Kids

The Cincinnati Bengals and Queen City Book Bank (QCBB) teamed up to help put more books into the hands of Greater Cincinnati children, bringing together the power of community, literacy and football to create opportunities for young readers. As part of the partnership, members of the Cincinnati Bengals visited Hays-Porter Elementary School to deliver books to students, giving children new stories to explore and books they can take home and make their own.

Students created an enthusiastic tunnel to welcome the Bengals mascot, Who Dey, and the Queen City Book Bank mascot, Wiggles. The excitement continued as everyone cheered on Bengals players and Ben-Gals cheerleaders as they delivered books and joined students for a read-along of QCBB’s signature book of the year, Thank You, School by local author and QCBB volunteer Louise Borden.

Players in attendance included Jack Endries, Cedric Johnson, Dohnte Meyers, and William Wagner.

The Bengals also made a generous contribution to support Queen City Book Bank’s literacy programs, helping QCBB reach even more children throughout the community and inspire a lifelong love of reading. The collaboration reflects a shared commitment to helping local children build strong foundations for learning. Queen City Book Bank works to ensure children have consistent access to books and opportunities to build home libraries. Football and reading may seem like two very different worlds, but both require practice, persistence and a willingness to keep moving forward.

“Football is all about putting your team in the best position to succeed,” said Taylor Conklin, Bengals Director of Community Engagement. “We see that same opportunity when it comes to youth in our community. We want to help kids win on and off the field this season. Putting a great book in their hands helps them score a few extra touchdowns in the classroom. We are proud to partner with Queen City Book Bank and Hays-Porter to make a difference one book at a time.”

For students and educators at Hays-Porter, the delivery represents much more than a stack of books. It creates opportunities for children to discover new interests, develop their reading skills and build home libraries filled with books they are excited to read.

Michelle Otten Guenther, CEO of Queen City Book Bank shared, “This partnership is a powerful example of what can happen when Cincinnati comes together to inspire children. Working alongside the Bengals and Hays-Porter, we are not just handing out books. We are sparking imaginations, creating connections and helping kids discover the joy of reading. That’s a win for kids and a win for Cincinnati!”

Together, the Bengals and Queen City Book Bank hope the partnership will inspire more children to pick up a book, discover a story they love and keep reading long after the final whistle.

Photos provided.