More Than Words is the most ambitious bookstore you've never heard of. If you have, then you're already contributing to their mission.

The Moody Street-based non-profit organization employs 24 youths in hoping to turn their lives around. Executive Director Jodi Rosenbaum described the kids as individuals who "might have significant educational challenges, and are really struggling to get direction for their future." The group gets much more than a pay check out of their experience.

"They work two to three days a week which is their paid job, and they also have a new job, which is taking care of themselves," Rosenbaum said.

The youths, under the supervision of adult managers, learn to run all aspects of the business in a way that teaches them job skills, Rosenbaum said.. They run the online part of the operation out of the stores's basement, handling shipping orders from all over the world, according to Rosenbaum.

In addition to helping the kids run the store, the managers help their understudies get their education back on track. In some cases, that means getting a GED in others, it means planning future educational endeavors, according to Rosenbaum.

The store has seen its share of success stories. Rosenbaum told of Nicole (last name), a student who suffered from emotional issues, but eventually ended up at More Than Words.

"[She] was a firecracker teenager who grew up in state custody in group homes," Rosenbaum said. "She had a bumpy experience learning how to manage anger and accept feedback, following directions, but she started to come into her own and find direction," Rosenbaum said.

Eventually, Nicole set herself on a path to success. After obtaining her GED, she was accepted to Pine Manor College in Newton, where she is now a blossoming junior studying psychology, according to Rosenbaum.

"She learned to channel that energy and understand how incredibly smart she was. She is the first person in her family's history to ever go to college," Rosenbaum said.

Four children, who under the care of the state, founded More Than Words in 2004, but under a different name, according to its Web site. An online-only operation at first, the organization moved to its larger Waltham space by June 2005. They continued the online portion of the business and created the brick and mortar operation, according to the Web site. 

"We knew Moody Street really well and started selling books on the Internet and there just happened to be a store front on Moody Street that was open and it was perfect," Rosenbaum said. "So that's how [the Waltham location] worked out."

The organization plans to possibly open a second location in Boston, but Rosenbaum couldn't comment in greater depth because a lease has yet to be signed.

Like any other business, More Than Words faces several challenges to stay afloat. The store, however, often experiences difficulties some normal bookstores do not typically face.

 "We have full time transitions managers who are here to help kids with their education.  We always have adult supervisors to provide coaching and training, and we have tons of additional expenses you wouldn't find in a regular business, but this is by design," Rosenbaum said. "The reality is there are social costs of this experience attached to what we do here that don't generate revenue."

Despite its altruistic intent, More Than Words has trouble educating its customers.

"We struggle all the time with how much to promote the mission in the store because the greatest testament to our young people is that customers come in and just think it's a fabulous bookstore in its own right," Rosenbaum said. "When they find out about the mission, they're even more bought in. But we've struggled with how much to shove it down people's throats and educate them without it being off-putting, because again, this is a business."

In the end, the store hopes it can balance both goals.

"We want people to know about the mission, but also know it's a great bookstore" Rosenbaum said.