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Books for low-income kids who don't have enough books
ETA: Between comments on this post, private emails and other outside comments, we are now all full up for the time being! If we get anyone else committing to donate, we will run out of storage. :) Anyone I didn't respond to below, I will get to you in the morning with comment responses and PMs, but if you replied to this post before April 13th at 3pm EST, assume that you're on my list for "this person is probably donating" and THANK YOU. <3333
I have been unable to get to comments BECAUSE of work, and now am kind of crashing in an exhausted chronically-ill-body-is-quitting fashion and need to take today to be dead, but tomorrow I will continue to hand out addresses and answer comments/questions!
We're going to have A BOOK PARTY according to the one supervisor that I told about what I was doing, and it's because of all this generosity.
Hello, Dreamwidth.
Today, I heard a terrible thing.
I overheard that my job's pediatric clinic is running out of books and there's very little room in the budget (we are a community health center and are publically funded!) to buy more books. So, without the knowledge of the pediatric clinic, as I want to give their incredibly stressed supervisory staff and the patients a really great surprise, I'm organizing a little book drive.
If you have any books in your home that are:
appropriate for English or Spanish speaking kids
who are the ages of 3 - 17 years old
in as new, fine or very good condition (good condition possible, but we will need to discuss exactly what isn't in very good condition about it)
that you don't want in your home anymore
Could you consider giving them to our pediatric clinic? I am broke as all get out, and not able to pay for anything, so I'm asking for people to donate the shipping costs (to NYC) as well out of the goodness of your hearts. All of our patients have some kind of mental health issue and many have chronic illnesses as well. Our books are used in the waiting room and in therapy sometimes, but the most important thing about the books is that kids who love a book can take it home. Sometimes, a book is given as a gift just because a kid had a bad day and they're given options to choose from. Sometimes, a book is needed because many of these children do not have any books at home; their families can't afford to buy them any.
Because this post is public I'm not putting identifiers such as where I work exactly on the post, but if you would like me to prove that I work where I work and this isn't some strange ... kids'/teen book collecting scam? ... feel free to PM me! Questions, comments, etc are fine in the, er, comments. Signal boosting is welcome. If you would like to discuss specifics or are getting a box ready to ship and need the address, please send me a message via DW PM.
♥
Postscript about signed books because someone just asked me in person: signed books are welcomed if they are only signed with the author's name, some generic messages may be allowed (please ask). I ask that nothing with personal inscription be donated.
Second postscript: Books about tragedies (be it 9/11 or the dog died) are not a great idea unless they seem to have positive uplifting therapeutic lesson value. Books with religious content are a no.
Postcript the third because again, someone IRL just asked: If you want to buy new books for us, I will not stop you. However, because this is me doing it and not the organization as a whole, I can't provide you with a tax receipt. We are a registered nonprofit, though, so you know what you spent and you can claim it if you like.
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(My parents are in town, so that's why I can do it right away.)
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(A Moderately Well Known Scifi Author follows me, it's the kind of thing they're LIKELY to pick up and reblog especially if I say signal boosting is welcome, and I regularly end up going "HOLy CRAP MY NOTESWHAT - oh, right, [Author] reblogged it".)
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I have gotten nibbles from your DW repost already, it's much appreciated!
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My neighborhood's children's library the Front Porch Library, run by a neighbor who's a middle-grades/YA author, often receives more donations from author pals, publishers (ARCS & proofs) or other charities than the neighborhood can use, and I would be glad to pass on any spares. I'll only send books that are in Very Good or better condition so recipients will be proud to get them. Plus I have a few I'd like to donate personally -- I'll PM you for the address.
Meanwhile, if you receive any that are just slightly too shabby for your organization to use, too sad/tragic (why does something always die in Newbery Award winners?), or too 'young' -- board or cloth books for infants and toddlers-- feel free to ship your rejects to the Front Porch Library, address is in the FAQ on the webpage.
May your book drive prosper!
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