Barkley’s Bookshelf Brings Comfort and Connection to Veterans’ Families at Camp Hope
A new bookshelf at Camp Hope is doing more than just holding children’s stories—it’s holding space for healing, love, and family connection.
This December, local nonprofit Barkley’s Bookshelf launched a touching new partnership with the PTSD Foundation of America’s Camp Hope, bringing children’s books, plush toys, bookmarks, and other cozy comforts to the Houston-based residential facility for veterans battling post-traumatic stress. The goal? To create a welcoming place for veterans and their children to read together, bond, and share moments of peace during what can often be a difficult season of life.
“Book ownership is important for all children,” said Brenda Polivka, founder of Barkley’s Bookshelf. “The addition of a children’s library at Camp Hope provides the opportunity for children of the veterans to spend quality time with their loved one, sharing in the joy of reading, and then taking the books home to keep forever”.
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To date, 141 children’s books have been donated, and each one helps a parent and child carve out space for something simple but deeply meaningful: story time. Beyond the children’s corner, Barkley’s Bookshelf also teamed up with the Friends of the Rockwall County Library to provide books for adults at Camp Hope—donating everything from novels to dictionaries and thesauruses, all to help build a more complete and welcoming library for the residents.
Barkley’s Bookshelf was founded on a simple but powerful belief: that every child deserves to own books, especially those facing hardship. From shelters to hospitals and now to military communities, the nonprofit hand-delivers books to places where comfort is needed most. By putting books into kids’ hands—books they get to keep—it encourages both literacy and emotional connection during some of life’s more uncertain chapters.
Here in Harris County, literacy is an urgent issue. More than 60% of low-income households don’t have a single age-appropriate book at home. And about 1 in 3 adults reads at a basic or below-basic level. When organizations like Barkley’s Bookshelf step in, they’re not just giving away books—they’re opening doors to learning, imagination, and lifelong impact.
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Camp Hope, a program of the PTSD Foundation of America, is a place where veterans can begin to heal from the emotional wounds of combat. With peer support, counseling, and a sense of brotherhood, the program helps residents rebuild their lives in a safe, structured environment. Now, thanks to this new reading nook, it’s also a place where they can rebuild bonds with their children—through the simple, healing act of reading together.
To learn more or to support Barkley’s Bookshelf and their growing impact across Houston and beyond, visit barkleysbookshelf.org.
Tiffany Krenek has been on the My Neighborhood News team since August 2021. She is passionate about curating and sharing content that enriches the lives of our readers in a personal, meaningful way. A loving mother and wife, Tiffany and her family live in the West Houston/Cypress region.
