Help End Illiteracy: Click to Give Free Books to Children
November 11th 2007 02:36
Writer's Notes' Recent Emphasis on Free Giving Sites
I'm sure you've noticed that a number of my recent posts have been philanthropic in nature--though I've done my best to keep these relevant to the general topic of Writer's Notes. In addition, most have involved free giving opportunities through click-to-give, search-to-give, or test-your-vocabulary-to-give sites. This post is no different.
Click to Give Free Books to Children Around the Globe
I've discovered a site, via my blogging friend Lillie Ammann, which donates free books to children around the world and also helps build schools in impoverished parts of the globe through revenue raised via its advertisers in response to free clicks by visitors to the site. This is one more opportunity to give an intellectual and literary hand to those in need without the necessity of donating money. What an excellent idea!
Click to Support The Literacy Site
The Literacy Site is part of a bank of click-to-give sites that I discovered through an article written by Lillie, entitled How to Be a Philanthropist with No Money and Only Ten Minutes a Day. The Literacy Site allows you to take part in their two programs which help bring literacy to the poorest populations around the globe: Room to Read and First Book.
Room to Read Program
One of The Literacy Site's programs is the Room to Read program. Room to Read provides books for children through its Local Language Publishing Program and builds adequate schools in rural areas of the developing world, through its School Room Program.
The mission statement of the Room to Read program follows:
Room to Read partners with local communities throughout the developing world to establish schools, libraries, and other educational infrastructure. We seek to intervene early in the lives of children in the belief that education is a lifelong gift that empowers people to ultimately improve socioeconomic conditions for their families, communities, countries, and future generations. Through the opportunities that only an education can provide, we strive to break the cycle of poverty, one child at a time.
First Book Program
The other program offered by The Literacy Site, is the First Book program, which is dedicated to getting books into the hands of disadvantaged children. After Hurrican Katrina, First Book launched Book Relief, with a goal of providing over five million new books to those so seriously affected by the devastation as well as those organizations involved in the rebuilding effort. So far, 3.5 million books have been distributed through the Book Relief program.
Here's what The Literacy Site has to say about itself and its First Book program:
Since its launch in November 2004, visitors to The Literacy Site have helped generate over a million new books for children from low-income families. Our non-profit partner First Book helps convert clicks at The Literacy Site into actual books in the hands of children.
Other Convenient Opportunities for Free Giving
When you visit The Free Literacy Site, you'll notice that it's part of a bank of other free click-to-give sites: The Hunger Site, The Breast Cancer Site,* The Child Health Site, The Rain Forest Site, and The Animal Rescue Site. Each of these sites offers help and support to different worthy causes and relief efforts, and their convenient shared location on the same QuickDonations.com website makes it easy for you to click to help all six causes at the same time. (Note: you'll also have access to all six of these sites when you click the link to The Literacy Site, above.)
When you visit these sites, within minutes--or less--you'll be able to help feed the hungry, provide free mammograms* for poor women, give free health care to poor children, protect a portion of endangered rain forest habitat, rescue and provide free food and care for stray animals--and all this in addition to the free books and school facilities you'll be helping to provide for underprivileged children through The Literacy Site!
Wouldn't that be worth a few minutes of your time each day? If enough of us join together in the effort to help these worthy causes, we could really make a difference. It won't cost us a penny, and the effort involved would be less than the effort it takes to write an article, post a blog entry, or even leave a comment.
I'm in. How about you?
Jeanne
*Note: During the month of November, if the funding goal of 500 mammograms is reached, The Breast Cancer Site will donate an ultrasound machine to a hospital in South Africa through funding provided by its charitable partner, GreaterGood.org. As of today (Nov. 11th), visitors to the site have brought contributions to 31% of the goal. So, please click daily to help the people of South Africa receive their ultrasound machine!
Did you enjoy this post? Learn anything new? Have anything to add? Join the conversation!
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Comment by Amy Derby
Comment by Jeanne Dininni
Writer's Notes
Thanks for the visit!
Jeanne
Comment by Lillie Ammann
Thanks for the timely reminder. I added a note to today's post on Children's Book Week that visiting the LIteracy Site is a good idea all the time, especially during Children's Book Week.
Comment by Jeanne Dininni
Writer's Notes
Great idea! Glad I was able to help! I think The Literacy Site is such a worthwhile cause! And thanks for the heads-up on Children's Book Week! Didn't know about it! Funny that I posted about a site that provides books for children at just about the right time without even realizing it! (Perhaps I shouldn't admit that fact! I'd seem so totally savvy about the publishing industry if I didn't! LOL!)
Thanks for the visit--and the info!
Jeanne