BookDrive101:AHow‐ToGuidetoOrganizeaBookDrive

Congratulations,andThankYOU!

ThankyouforagreeingtoorganizeaBookDrivetobenefitR.E.A.C.H.aChild.Youreffortswillgoalongwayinsupportingourmission“toputasmileonthefaceofachildinthetimeofneed.”ThebooksanddollarsraisedthroughyourBookDrivewillhelpplace10–12children’sbooksineverypolicecarandfirstrespondervehiclethroughoutWisconsinandIllinois.Thesebooksareusedtocalmchildrenatthesceneofanaccident,fire,domesticdisturbance,orotherstressfulsituation.Thisguideisdesignedtohelpyoutomeetandexceedyourgoal,andprovidessimpleideasandhelpfulhintssothatyoucanlaunchaBookDrivesuccessfully.Ifyouhaveanyquestionsorwouldlikesuggestions,pleasevisitourwebsiteatwww.reachachild.orgorbycalling(866)992‐6324orsendanemailtoJennifer.Lake@reachachild.org

TopThreeReasonstoOrganizeaBookDrive1.Studiessuggestthatbetween3.3‐10millionchildrenwitnesssomeformofdomesticviolenceannually.2.Morethanhalfoffemalevictimsofintimateviolenceliveinhouseholdswithchildrenunderage12.3.Childrenwhowitnessfamilyviolenceareaffectedinwayssimilartochildrenwhoarephysicallyabusedandareoftenunabletoestablishnurturingbondswitheitherparent.

It’saseasyas1,2,3…Step1:SetYourGoalDecidehowmanybooksand/ordollarsyouwouldliketocollectinyourBookDrive,andthenbegintospreadtheword.MostBookDriveorganizerssetagoaltocollect500booksduringa2‐weekcollectionperiod.Step2:MakeaListWhodoyouknow?Makealistofeveryone,includingyourfriends,familymembers,co‐workers,neighborsandlocalbusinessesthatyoufrequent.Doyouknowpeoplewhohavebeenaffectedbyfire,crime,ordomesticviolence?Askthemtomakeadifference.Don’tforgetmembersofanyhobbyclubsorprofessionalorganizationsyoubelongtoaswell!Step3:MakeitHappen!

• Sendane‐mailannouncingtheBookDriveaskingeveryoneyouknowtojoinyourefforts.Itmaybeconvenientforothersifyouputacollectionboxoutsideyourdoor.

• Contactthelocalnewspaperandaskthemtowriteastoryaboutyourefforts.• Approachalocallibrary,school,churchorstoreandaskthattheyserveasa

collectionspot.• Writeanarticleintheemployeenewsletter.• AnnouncetheBookDriveatastaffmeeting.• Hangpostersintheofficelunchorbreakroom.• Recruit10friendstocollect50bookseachattheirplacesofemployment.

CreativeIdeastoCollectDollars:Thereareplentyofuniqueandcreativeideastohelpraisedollarsthatcanthenbeusedtopurchasebooksatadiscounted$1perbookcost,including:

• Auctionoffitemsuniquetoyourofficeorhome.Forexample,auctionoffthebestparkingspotintheparkinglot,lawnmowingservices,orsnowremoval.

• Offer‘dressdowndays’inyourofficefor$5perdayofparticipation.• HoldaBBQ,luauorpastalunchordinnerandchargeanadmissionfee.• Organizeabakesale,winetasting,rummagesale,comedynightorcarwash.• Ask20peoplefor$25each=that’s$500,or500books! • Turnpresentsintoprofitbywrappingbooksatthelocalbookstorefortips.

SampleE‐Mail/Letter:Dearfriendsandcolleagues,IamtrulygratefulforthemanywonderfulopportunitiesthatIhavehadthisyear.Toshowmygratitude,I’mgoingtodosomethingveryspecialforREACHaChild,anorganizationwithanincrediblegoalofplacing10–12children’sbooksineverysinglepolicecarandfirstrespondervehicleinWisconsinandIllinois.Thesebooksareusedtocalmchildrenatthesceneofanaccident,fire,domesticdisturbance,orotherstressfulsituation.Iwillbecollectingbooksoverthenext2weeks,andIinviteyoutodonateneworgentlyusedbookssuitableforanychildages2to16.Simplydropyourbooksoffat<insertcollectionlocation>,orcallmeat<inserttelephonenumberhere>andIwillbehappytopickupyourdonation.Youcanalsocontributemoney‐everydollardonatedwillbeusedtopurchaseabrandnewbookprovidedtoWithWingsandaHaloatadiscountedrateofonly$1each!Thankyouinadvanceforputtingasmileonthefaceofachildinatimeofneed.Sincerely,<insertyournamehere>PS.Mygoalistocollect<insertgoalhere>booksby<insertcollectiondeadlinehere>.Pleasehelpmereachthatgoal!

The ABCs of Who Could Donate a Book:

A Accountant, Attorney, Airlines B Bakery, Bank, Bar, Bands, Barber, Boutiques C College Friends, Co-Workers/Colleagues, Caterers, Country Club,

Coaches D Dry Cleaners, Doctors, Dentists, Department Stores E Eye Care Professional, Electrician F Fraternities, Family Members, Florist, Friends G Grocery, Gas Station, Golf Course H Health Club, Hair Dresser, Hotel I Interior Designer, Insurance Agent, Ice Cream Store J Jewelers K K-Marts and other Discount Stores, Kiwanis, Key Club L Limousine Service, Lions Club M Manicurist, Masseuse, Mailman, Movie Theatres N Nutritionist O Orthodontist P Professors, Printing Companies, Parents’ Friends/Work Contacts Q Quickie Marts R Restaurants you frequent, Religious Organizations, Rotary Clubs S Sporting Goods Store, Spouse’s Friends/Work Contacts, Sororities,

Ski Resorts T Theatres, Teachers, Therapists, Ticket Sales Office (concerts,

sports, etc.) U Unions, Universities V Video Stores, Veterinarian, Volunteer Groups W Work Contacts, Winery X Xeroxing Services, X-Ray/Radiology Facility Y Youth Groups Z Zoologists!