Aug 22, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) talks with tight end Travis Kelce (87) on the sidelines against the Chicago Bears during the first half of the game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images
Aug 22, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) talks with tight end Travis Kelce (87) on the sidelines against the Chicago Bears during the first half of the game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images
Patrick Mahomes usually helps Kansas City by throwing touchdown passes. This time, the Chiefs quarterback made an impact off the field.
Mahomes and the 15 and the Mahomies Foundation supported an effort to keep Kansas City children reading during the summer. The donation helped the program reach thousands of young readers.
Patrick Mahomes Turned a $15,000 Donation Into Thousands of Books
The 15 and the Mahomies Foundation gave the Kansas City Public Library $15,000 in May 2025. The donation was part of the foundation’s ongoing partnership with the library and helped buy nearly 6,000 books for children in its summer reading program.
Aug 28, 2026; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) congratulates team mates coming off the field against the Seattle Seahawks during the game at Arrowhead StadiumAug 28, 2026; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) congratulates team mates coming off the field against the Seattle Seahawks during the game at Arrowhead Stadium
Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images
Based on that total, the donation provided about $2.50 for each book. Those books supported a program that already served thousands of local readers. In 2024, the summer reading program received a record 15,060 registrations, which was 16 percent more than the year before.
The 2025 program ran from May 30 through August 15. Everyone who registered received a free book. Readers who finished a five-book challenge could also earn another reward.
Mahomes did more than help the library buy books. His foundation supported a program that was already reaching thousands of children across Kansas City.
Patrick Mahomes Wants Reading to Become a Daily Habit
The donation was part of Mahomes’ larger effort to promote reading through the 15 and the Mahomies Foundation. Its Read for 15 program encourages children to read every day, not only during school hours.
Patrick MahomesPatrick Mahomes
Sep 14, 2026; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) reacts before the game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images
Mahomes explained the goal of the library partnership in the foundation’s May 2025 announcement. “Reading every day is so important—it helps us grow, learn, and dream big,” Mahomes said in the foundation’s May 2025 announcement.
The foundation also raised concerns about children losing reading skills during the summer. It cited studies showing that students in third through fifth grade can lose up to 20 percent of the reading gains they made during the previous school year.
Mahomes had already brought that message directly to Kansas City students. About 3,000 students attended a Read for 15 rally with Mahomes at T-Mobile Center in March 2025.
The $15,000 donation was one part of a larger effort to help children read every day. Mahomes usually produces big numbers for Kansas City through passing yards and touchdowns. This time, the important number was nearly 6,000 books.
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