What Gives?
YOU! In anyway you can...
Read to a child.
Donate a book.
Give your time.
All of these simple actions can set off a ripple effect that can change a child’s life story. You don’t have to be a Greg Mortenson (author of the Three Cups of Tea: One Man's Mission to Promote Peace, One School at a Time) or a John Wood, founder of Room to Read or be a Katherine Paterson, National Children’s Book Laureate.
You don’t have to lead a band – just join one that's already playing...
EDUCATION
Room to Read seeks to transform the lives of millions of children in developing countries by focusing on literacy and gender equality in education. Working in collaboration with local communities, partner organizations and governments, we develop literacy skills and a habit of reading among primary school children, and support girls to complete secondary school with the relevant life skills to succeed in school and beyond.
A portion of the proceeds from the sale of The Busy Life of Ernestine Buckmeister will be donated to Room to Read. Thanks for your support!
Kids Need to Read works to create a culture of reading for children by providing inspiring books to under-funded schools, libraries, and literacy programs across the United States, especially those serving disadvantaged children.
Reading – it is the single most important skill children must learn to be productive members of society. Books open their minds, inspire their imaginations and stimulate their intelligence. As budget cutbacks increase, funding for libraries is often the first thing to go, especially in failing school systems. There are great numbers of schools that have been unable to buy new books for their students to read in years. Kids Need to Read was established to fight this disaster by sending exciting new books to under-funded schools and libraries across the United States, as well as to other organizations that provide literacy support to children, particularly disadvantaged children.
MAA is a grass-roots volunteer organization founded to promote education and literacy among children in developing countries. The organization grew out of the idea of using personal resources for aid and developing an organization with minimum overhead costs, so most of the aid would be directed to those most in need.
Central Asia Institute is a non-profit organization with the mission to promote and support community-based education, especially for girls, in remote regions of northern Pakistan and Afghanistan.
Working in partnership worldwide, Free the Mind funds a wide variety of innovative, indigenous educational projects. By improving access to knowledge and learning, we help give people the opportunity to experience life in all its fullness.
First Books provides new books to children in need, addressing one of the most important factors affecting literacy – access to books. An innovative leader in social enterprise, First Book has distributed over 65 million free and low-cost books to children in thousands of communities.
British non-profit devoted to promoting literacy and literacy educators. Issues, statistics, research, events, publications, resources, other related organizations, discussion boards, and contact details.
A non-profit organization which collects and ships donated books to Africa and the Caribbean where they are used to create libraries in rural schools and communities. Community literacy projects are also established. List of programs and related links.
A non-profit organization dedicated to improving children's literacy. Background of the group, newsletter, activities and events, and contribution details. In English and in French.
DONATE BOOKS
A non-profit organization seeking to share America's wealth in books with the English- speaking countries of East Africa. Initial projects were books for Kenyan schools and the Uganda Public Library. Projects have involved Tanzania, Swaziland, Liberia and the Gambia as well. Distributes basic medical and nursing texts to 18 African nations. They are looking for donations of books, cash and volunteer labor.
Canadian Organization for Development through Education (CODE)
CODE is a non-governmental organization which supports education and literacy work in the Third World. Its Book Program supplies donated books from North American sources to educational organizations. It generally only accepts books published within the past 5 years and in sets of 25 or more for class-room use. shipments. CODE is affiliated with the International Book Bank in the U.S.
Book Aid International – for publishers and the trade
For more information on book donations in your area, check with your public library or local school libraries.
The organizations above are only a sampling of the organizations that are supporting education and literacy world-wide. You can get involved at home by sharing a love of reading with a child and by sharing books with your friends. You can get involved in your community by supporting your local library or school, or you can reach beyond your borders to help children less fortunate find their path out of poverty through reading.
If you’d like me to showcase what your organization is doing for literacy and education on my website, please drop me a line: l.lodding@gmail.com