Would you help a reading program for underprivileged kids?

[Sauron]

If the answer is "Why, yes, I would," then this is the thread for you.

Quick note: I checked with the Powers That Be before posting this, to make sure it was copacetic. They said I could, so here we are.

As many of you know, my wife (the lovely and talented Aries28) has volunteered with a literacy program, Better Basics, for the past few years. She goes to an inner-city school in Birmingham, Alabama once a week during the school year and reads to the kids. She also gives them books to read; if they read X number of books and do book reports, they get prizes (books of their own, candy bars, T-shirts, etc.).

Many Dopers in the past have become "Book Fairies" for some of these kids -- sending them books on subjects in which the child is interested, small tokens or prizes that are specific to the Doper's geographic area, stuff like that. The kids have been amazed -- not only that someone cares about them, but that someone they never met would care enough to send them a book or a trinket. It's truly humbling to see the reactions of these children to this outpouring of caring and support. In a few instances, a child has asked my wife to send his or her Book Fairy a small thank-you gift, and handed over a much-worn and -loved Beanie Baby toy from McDonald's, or a three-inch-tall action figure. These kids have almost nothing -- they live in government housing in one of the worst areas in Birmingham, they see drug use and violence on an almost daily basis, and some of them don't always have enough to eat. For them to want to give back to people who have sent books or prizes has touched me deeply.

Anyway, Aries28 got an e-mail from the administrator of the Better Basics program. They had received a shipment of 8,000 books on Friday, May 6. These books were going to be the "prize" books to begin the 2005-06 school year -- books given to children who had reached certain reading goals. Sometime during that weekend, their office was burgled, and all 8,000 books were stolen. Why someone would do this, I dunno. It's not like you can sell these things for a great profit. The police are investigating, but no arrests have been made yet.

So Better Basics is asking for help in replacing these books. If you would like to donate some children's books, or would like to make a small monetary donation, please contact Aries28 at aries28kp@hotmail.com. If you want to send money (tax-deductible, even!), she can give you information on how to do that. Every dollar donated will allow Better Basics to purchase two to three books. If you want to send some children's books (new, used, doesn't matter), she can tell you the best way to get them to the program.

Thanks in advance to those of you who are willing to help. You'll be heroes to these kids and the people who are trying to help them.

[Shirley Ujest]

Email is on its way.




If your lovely and talented wife find out what kind of books they were ( themed, chapter, picture...) let us dopers know!

Stealing books meant for kids.


That.is.so.wrong.


Bastids.

[Athena]

I'm all over this. Email has been sent.

I'd like to believe that the thieves were a family of voracious readers, people who didn't have a lot of money and had worn out their library privilages, and so were reduced to stealing books and distributing them to all members of their family.

Alas, I doubt 'tis so.

[silenus]

Email sent. I think I'll start a collection among my kids....I'm sure they'll kick in some spare change and lunch money. :D

[Sauron]

If your lovely and talented wife find out what kind of books they were ( themed, chapter, picture...) let us dopers know!

I should have done this in my first post, and I forgot. My bad.

Here's the types of books Better Basics tends to use:

Anything featuring minority children
Anything sports related
Any mystery (age-appropriate)
Any joke books
Animal books
Dictionaries
Goose Bumps
Arthur Series and Arthur chapter books
Berenstain Bears and BB chapter books
Pokemon series
I Can Read series – 2nd-5th grade levels
Power Puff Girls series
Star Wars series
Rugrats chapter books
Babysitters Little Sister series
Junie B. Jones
Bailey School Kids
Pet Force series
Cam Jansen series
Encyclopedia Brown series
Nate the Great series
Captain Underpants
Magic Tree House series
A to Z Mysteries

Books by:
Matt Christopher
Judy Blume
Amelia Bedelia
Beverly Cleary
Amber Brown
Louis Sacher
Scooby Doo (well, you know; not actually written BY Scooby Doo)
Roald Dahl

Magazines (Sports Illustrated for Kids, American Girl, Highlights, Jack and Jill)

[Wallflower]

Email sent.
I don't have kids, but now I know why I picked up a whole bunch of kids books for cheap last week.

[Athena]

Y'know, it might be cool for them to set up an Amazon "wish list" with the books that they'd like - I'm pretty sure you can set it up so that someone can go to the list, buy a few books, and get them sent to you, all without giving out address or other sensitive information.

[Library Boy]

Do you know if they have any preference between donations of money or books? I know that while they will take both, sometimes organizations find it easier to deal with one over the other.

[Baker]

I'm already in Aries28's program, but I'll get some more books together.

Damn, people will "steal anything that's not red hot or nailed down" as I once heard my aunt say.

[Sauron]

Do you know if they have any preference between donations of money or books? I know that while they will take both, sometimes organizations find it easier to deal with one over the other.

To the best of my knowledge, they'll take either one with equal gratitude.

Athena, good thinking on the Amazon wish list. I'll check to see if that's a possibility.

[filmore]

Y'know, it might be cool for them to set up an Amazon "wish list" with the books that they'd like - I'm pretty sure you can set it up so that someone can go to the list, buy a few books, and get them sent to you, all without giving out address or other sensitive information.

That's a great idea, but it looks like the money would be better utilized if you sent it directly to the charity instead of getting the book on Amazon. It looks like Better Basics can get 2-3 books per dollar. You're not going to be able to get 2-3 books for a dollar on Amazon.

[Kythereia]

Sauron, you and Aries28 are superheroes. Let me see what I can dig up in our basement. :)

[Sauron]

It looks like Better Basics can get 2-3 books per dollar. You're not going to be able to get 2-3 books for a dollar on Amazon.

While this is true, some folks just aren't comfortable sending money for something like this ... there are enough stories about the United Way and other organizations who have wasted money in the past to make some folks donation-shy. Actually sending a book (or books) provides less chance for rip-off.

Now, I have no problems donating money to Better Basics -- we've done so in the past, and we'll do it now to help them. But if you're squeamish about sending money, books that meet their criteria are just as valuable to them.

[Sauron]

Sauron, you and Aries28 are superheroes.

Nope, not me ... she's the superhero. I'm just the mouthpiece. Think of me as Bruce Wayne's legal counsel. :)

[FairyChatMom]

I'll send some money - that way, they get what I would have spent on postage to mail the books, too! Email will be forthcoming!

[Kythereia]

Nope, not me ... she's the superhero. I'm just the mouthpiece. Think of me as Bruce Wayne's legal counsel. :)

Pffffffft, right I bet the Tiny Minions are superheroes, too. :p (It's the Doper version of "The Incredibles"!)

[Shirley Ujest]

The Sauron's are super heroes?

D'ya have capes?

































Bump.

[monica]

I'm about to send an email.

Also, I imagine that if you got one of the big bookstores in on it, they might be willing to donate some stuff- they get the good-guy-helping-the-needy publicity, Better Basics gets the books. Everybody wins.

[Nocturne]

I'll have to check funds but I think UnwrittenNocturne and I could shoot some money that way.

I'm intrigued by the Better Basics program, though--is it Birmingham-only, Sauron, or is it a state-or-nation-wide program? I could think of a few schools here who would benefit greatly, and I don't know that my schedule (or my gastank) could handle a two-hour roundtrip to Birmingham and back once a week.

[Sauron]

The Sauron's are super heroes?

D'ya have capes?

[Edna Mold]NO CAPES![/Edna Mold]

monica, the program works with Scholastic to buy books at a discount. Aries28 has also done some stuff on her own with Books-A-Million and one or two publishers whose name I forget right now.

Nocturne, Better Basics is a Birmingham-based charity; however, their Web site (www.betterbasics.org) indicates they have programs in Tuscaloosa city and county schools. (That's where you are, right? Memory doesn't always serve me well.) I dunno exactly what programs they operate there; Aries28 volunteers with their M.O.R.E. program.

Also, as info for folks sending money, Better Basics is a 4-star rated charity by Charity Navigator (http://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm/bay/search.summary/orgid/8700.htm); four stars is the highest rating a charity can receive. So the vast majority of your donation actually goes to buy books, not for administration expenses or anything like that.

And thanks, everyone, for the replies and support. Aries28 has gotten around 20 e-mails so far, with additional pledges being made by phone. You guys are the best. You're really going to make a difference in a child's life.

[GingerOfTheNorth]

When I read about this in your Mrs.' lj, I sent some money and re-posted it. I can't believe people would do such a thing.

[CrankyAsAnOldMan]

Did the thieves even know what was in the boxes? I have this image of these jackasses opening the boxes and saying "Huh? What good are BOOKS?! Who reads books?"

Which would be funny, in terms of their disappointment and the irony of these dickheads who don't value books stealing something that many of us would consider treasures. But it's not funny when you know where they were going--and the waste if they just dump these things (which is probably all they could figure out to do with them).

[Sauron]

Just a quick update -- Aries28 has received more than $250 so far via PayPal donations, and additional checks have been pledged/sent.

You folks are going to make this a much less stressful summer for some volunteers ... and a much better beginning to the school year for a lot of underprivileged kids. Thank you.

[Library Boy]

Sauron, you and Aries28 are superheroes. Let me see what I can dig up in our basement. :)


Yes, Big Ups & Mad Props to both.*



Note: Poster is much too old and much too white to use such phrases. Poster promises not to do so again.

[gardentraveler]

Aries28 and Sauron - you're both wonderful! Sent an e-mail a bit ago...

GT

[ivylass]

E-mail sent.

There's a special circle in hell for people who would steal books. Any leads from the police?

[Phnord Prephect]

Books by:

Scooby Doo (well, you know; not actually written BY Scooby Doo)



Yeah. I hear he uses a Ghost Writer these days.




...come on, that's comedy gold right there, folks! q;}

[ivylass]

Um, I haven't gotten a response to my e-mail yet. I'm sure the lovely and talented Aries28 has been swamped with pledges, but could you have her e-mail me when she has a second? My e-mail is in my profile.

I want to help, but I don't know where to send the money.

[Tinkertoy]

E-mail on it's way.

[Sauron]

Quick update on things: First, to everybody who has e-mailed, Aries28 has responded as of this morning. We don't usually get online during the weekends, what with kids and such. Apologies for the response time over the weekend. If you don't have an e-mail response from her as of, say, noon today, touch base with her again, because that means she didn't get your e-mail.

Secondly, as of today, she has $500 to give to Better Basics! WOOHOO! You folks are fantastic.

I'm REALLY hoping that when she gives them the checks/money, she tells them "I took up a collection among my Doper friends." Wouldn't that be priceless? :)

[Aangelica]

Sent.


Also a bump.

[Shirley Ujest]

FYI: come payday, I will probably be paypaling your wife.

[gardentraveler]

Sauron, thanks for the update. Got the e-mail from Aries28.

Um...I think I just heard something go "bump."

::wanders off to find checkbook::

GT

[congodwarf]

I'm sending my e-mail in a sec.
I can't begin to fathom what kind of lowlife would steal books from disadvantaged kids. Scum :mad:

[gfloyd]

My parents are always at me to do something with my books. Not to meantion I'm moving soon and have too much stuff anyway. Email forthcoming. Also, would it be okay if I put a link to this in my lj, as a lot of literate, good natured people read it and might want to help?

[Sauron]

Also, would it be okay if I put a link to this in my lj, as a lot of literate, good natured people read it and might want to help?

That would be great, gfloyd. A couple of Aries28's friends have done so, and pledges have come from those sources. I appreciate your willingness to do this.

She started receiving some checks in the mail yesterday, and of course people have been using PayPal to donate money. It's truly amazing to see how people will come together to help in this manner.

One additional note: Aries28 will be traveling on business beginning today and running through the weekend. If you e-mail her, you might not get a response for a few days. Don't be discouraged in that case; she'll respond to any e-mails as quickly as she can.

[Shadez]

I've put this in a few livejournals and also the game I play.

/S

[FairyChatMom]

I posted a plea to an e-bulletin board at work and got a reply today from one of my coworkers - she said she'd be sending a check. We'll see if anyone else comes through.

[gardentraveler]

Sent a check this morning...

GT

[Shadez]

If you e-mail her, you might not get a response for a few days. Don't be discouraged in that case; she'll respond to any e-mails as quickly as she can.


thanks for the headsup :)

[Bosda Di'Chi of Tricor]

E-mail sent.

[ivylass]

Check will be mailed off today. What the total so far?

[Bosda Di'Chi of Tricor]

Nobody has replied to my e-mail.
How do I know where to send the things?

[elfkin477]

Sauron, have Aries28 go here (http://www.google.com/local?hl=en&lr=&q=scholastic&near=Birmingham,+AL&sa=X&oi=locald&radius=0.0&latlng=33520556,-86802500,17714758290710816151) and take down the contact information. If the Birmingham site is anything like the ones in this area, they're going to be having an "educators' only" bookfair in June, which they do every year. (in December too). If she calls them and explains her program, she may very well be able to get an invitation, because literacy program are allowed to go as well as schools - I found out about them through New Hampshire Reads.

At the bookfair everything is 50% off. There are some "bargain books" that are discounted even more, but 50% off makes a literacy program's budget go a hell of a lot farther than it would otherwise.

[Baker]

One additional note: Aries28 will be traveling on business beginning today and running through the weekend. If you e-mail her, you might not get a response for a few days. Don't be discouraged in that case; she'll respond to any e-mails as quickly as she can.

Bosda, the above quote is from 5/24, so that may answer your question. She'll be back :p

[Selkie]

E-mail sent. I'm mentioning this because (a) this is a very bump-worthy thread, and (b) my ISP and Hotmail don't always play nicely. If Aries28 doesn't hear from me, let me know.

[Jake]

Would somebody please link me to lj?
Also, I suggest you post this to Fathom and Una's board, if that hasn't already been done. I'm sure Opal and Una will jump on this!

Such a worthy cause! BUMP!

[Sauron]

Be prepared to be awed by the power of the Dope.

Thanks in very large part to you good people, Aries28 has received donations totaling more than $950 thus far. That's just ... words fail me.

What this means is you folks have helped to undo more than 1/4 of the damage the thieves caused. Truly a phenomenal effort and a tremendous outpouring of caring and generosity on your part. Thank you -- so very much.

Again, for those of you interested in making a donation, please contact my lovely and talented wife at aries28kp@hotmail.com. I'd link to her LiveJournal, as requested below, but her entries are password-protected. She is back from her trip, so if you e-mail her, you will get a response fairly quickly. (Although give her a pass for a couple more days ... she's digging out from under a mound of work-related paperwork that mutated and assumed control of her office in her absence.)

I'll post with a final tally once she turns all the money over to Better Basics.

[Khadaji]

I have sent some more money. And this post is simply a shameless bump so that more people can see the OP and have an opportunity to contribute. :)

[Bosda Di'Chi of Tricor]

Got the e-mail, & will send the Star Wars Manga collections, & the Kim Possible books.

[Shadez]

I have paypaled some money. We should be close if not over $1000 by now.

[Bosda Di'Chi of Tricor]

Got the e-mail, & will send the Star Wars Manga collections, & the Kim Possible books.

Books have been sent.
:)

[gardentraveler]

See, what I think would be COOL is: if Dopers and friends replaced ALL of those books.

I'm thinking that "Books are good for you" is something we can all agree on. Might not agree on which books, but....

Just another little bump.

GT

[Sauron]

See, what I think would be COOL is: if Dopers and friends replaced ALL of those books.

Believe it or not, we are well on our way to achieving that goal.

I'll have to confirm this with Aries28, but I'm fairly certain we are now officially over the $1,000 mark in donations. In addition, other folks (such as the esteemed Bosda Di'Chi of Tricor) have already sent books to replace some of those stolen. With the agreement Better Basics has with Scholastic, the money will purchase between 2,000 and 3,000 books. Add that to the books that have been sent, and you realize Dopers and LiveJournal folks, by themselves, have replaced almost half the books that were stolen ... all in less than a month's time.

Truly phenomenal.

[Rick]

e mail sent, and link passed to all my friends.

[Khadaji]

Just sent a little more. I was wondering if we could get an update and a count? And, although maybe I'll get a slapdown from the mods, I'm purposely bumping this so that others might see it and perhaps get a chance to donate. It would be too cool if we replaced all those books! :)

[Khadaji]

Just sent a little more. I was wondering if we could get an update and a count? And, although maybe I'll get a slapdown from the mods, I'm purposely bumping this so that others might see it and perhaps get a chance to donate. It would be too cool if we replaced all those books! :)Aries28 sent me this:

Good morning! Hope you are doing well.

At last count I was at $1,285. I delivered one batch of checks/donations to
the Better Bascis director on Friday and she was blown away.

I am trying to get some of my larger clients to commit to matching what I
raised but so far...no luck.

Thanks again for your help and for checking up on things.

[gardentraveler]

Got my receipt and a newsletter more than a week ago and have been meaning to come back and find this thread. Glad to see that Dopers and LJers have been so generous! Looks like they have a really effective set of programs.

GT