Toyota Finance Australia’s participation in Hook into Books™ has created lasting change, one book at a time.
Image: From the left: Jacob, Dale, Michelle and Megan stand together in the Milton office.
Toyota Finance’s partnership with Life Without Barriers is built on shared values of inclusion, opportunity, and community support. This year, Toyota Finance and Toyota Fleet have made a big impact to little lives.
Toyota Finance rallied together across multiple offices to collect, transport, and deliver books to the Milton Life Without Barriers office for the 2025 Hook into Books™ campaign.
“At Toyota Finance Australia, we're proud to partner with Life Without Barriers, a relationship built on shared values of inclusion, opportunity, and community support.” Said a Toyota spokesperson.
“This month, that partnership came to life through a book drive initiative that saw our teams in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane rally together to collect and donate close to 1000 books for children and young people supported by Life Without Barriers.”
Hook into Books™ reaches all states and territories across Australia. In 2024, over 1,500 children from toddlers to teens received books. Life Without Barriers recognises that access to books opens doors to imagination, education, and lifelong learning, the campaign prioritises literacy as a fundamental right and a powerful tool for change.
Image: Books being organised and stacked by volunteers.
“Access to books can open doors to imagination, education, and lifelong learning - and thanks to the generosity of our people, hundreds of children will now have those doors opened just a little wider.”
“Together, we’re not just providing books - we’re helping build brighter futures.”
This intercity collaboration was more than a logistical success; it also saved significant shipping costs by leveraging Toyota’s own vehicles and routes. By using internal transport rather than relying on external couriers, Toyota Finance efficiently redirected resources, funnelling savings back into the program’s broader goals.
Once the books arrived at Milton, volunteers from Toyota and Life Without Barriers came together to unpack, organise, and prepare the books for distribution. Megan Hall and Dale Murray, from the Life Without Barriers Education team, ensured each book found its way to a child or young person who would benefit most.
Image: Staff from Life Without Barriers and Toyota holding up books in the Milton office.
The Power of Literacy
The benefits of early and ongoing literacy include improved mental health, stronger self-confidence, and greater educational engagement, all critical for children and young people in out-of-home care, many of whom face complex challenges.
Through Hook into Books™, Life Without Barriers distributes titles created by First Nations authors and in First Nations languages, promoting cultural connection and reconciliation.
Celebrate Indigenous Literacy Day with the Hook into Books™ Team Challenge!
Image: An young boy holds 'Find Our Heart, by Thomas Mayo' picture book over their face.
Over the lifetime of the campaign, more than 2,000 books by First Nations creators have been distributed, all purchased from Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations. These stories teach history, values, family, and connection to country, enriching children’s literacy experiences and fostering mutual understanding across communities.
Creating Literacy-Rich Environments
Hook into Books™ doesn’t just hand out books; it creates environments where literacy thrives. From physical books and audiobooks to graphic novels and even slam poetry, the program offers diverse and engaging ways for children to connect with reading.
Research shows that growing up in a home with at least 20 books significantly boosts a child’s educational outcomes. Children with access to books tend to complete three more years of schooling than those without, regardless of their parents’ backgrounds.
Programs like Hook into Books™ help build personal libraries and nurture lifelong learning habits, which are crucial for children transitioning through out-of-home care.
Shared reading experiences enhance relationships and foster emotional bonding, key for nurturing healthy, stable home environments. As these routines become part of family life, they create a foundation for growth.
Image: Four people stand in a row and cover their faces with open books
Toyota Finance Australia’s participation in Hook into Books™ has created lasting change, one book at a time.
We thank all our dedicated supporters and partners who provide incredible books and resources and support us in creating conditions by which children and young people in out-of-home care experience literacy and language enhancement through exposure to rich literacy environments, physical books and digital literacy resources.
