# Would you help a reading program for underprivileged kids? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [May 19, 2005, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-help-a-reading-program-for-underprivileged-kids/304588 "2005-05-19T15:30:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2005, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-help-a-reading-program-for-underprivileged-kids/304588/41 "2005-05-25T22:30:33Z")
E-mail sent. ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2005, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-help-a-reading-program-for-underprivileged-kids/304588/42 "2005-05-28T14:29:50Z")
Check will be mailed off today. What the total so far? ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2005, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-help-a-reading-program-for-underprivileged-kids/304588/43 "2005-05-28T18:07:06Z")
Nobody has replied to my e-mail. How do I know where to send the things? ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2005, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-help-a-reading-program-for-underprivileged-kids/304588/44 "2005-05-28T20:57:05Z")
**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. ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2005, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-help-a-reading-program-for-underprivileged-kids/304588/45 "2005-05-28T22:41:46Z")
> [@Sauron](#): > > 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 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Selkie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bbce88/32.png) [@Selkie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Selkie)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2005, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-help-a-reading-program-for-underprivileged-kids/304588/46 "2005-05-29T19:12:43Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![Jake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f475e1/32.png) [@Jake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jake)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2005, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-help-a-reading-program-for-underprivileged-kids/304588/47 "2005-05-29T19:40:22Z")
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! ---
**Author:** ![Sauron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce7236/32.png) [@Sauron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sauron)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2005, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-help-a-reading-program-for-underprivileged-kids/304588/48 "2005-05-31T13:30:45Z")
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](mailto: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. ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2005, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-help-a-reading-program-for-underprivileged-kids/304588/49 "2005-05-31T13:32:44Z")
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. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2005, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-help-a-reading-program-for-underprivileged-kids/304588/50 "2005-06-01T00:59:43Z")
Got the e-mail, & will send the Star Wars Manga collections, & the Kim Possible books. ---
**Author:** ![Shadez](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/90ced4/32.png) [@Shadez](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shadez)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2005, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-help-a-reading-program-for-underprivileged-kids/304588/51 "2005-06-01T19:36:43Z")
I have paypaled some money. We should be close if not over $1000 by now. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2005, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-help-a-reading-program-for-underprivileged-kids/304588/52 "2005-06-01T23:07:27Z")
> [@Bosda Di'Chi of Tricor](#): > > Got the e-mail, & will send the Star Wars Manga collections, & the Kim Possible books. Books have been sent. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![gardentraveler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gardentraveler/32/3576_2.png) [@gardentraveler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gardentraveler)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2005, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-help-a-reading-program-for-underprivileged-kids/304588/53 "2005-06-02T01:43:34Z")
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 ---
**Author:** ![Sauron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce7236/32.png) [@Sauron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sauron)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2005, 12:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-help-a-reading-program-for-underprivileged-kids/304588/54 "2005-06-02T12:55:11Z")
> [@gardentraveler](#): > > 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. ---
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2005, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-help-a-reading-program-for-underprivileged-kids/304588/55 "2005-06-03T16:27:59Z")
e mail sent, and link passed to all my friends. ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2005, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-help-a-reading-program-for-underprivileged-kids/304588/56 "2005-06-09T22:37:25Z")
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! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2005, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-help-a-reading-program-for-underprivileged-kids/304588/57 "2005-06-13T16:41:39Z")
> [@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. ---
**Author:** ![gardentraveler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gardentraveler/32/3576_2.png) [@gardentraveler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gardentraveler)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2005, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-help-a-reading-program-for-underprivileged-kids/304588/58 "2005-06-18T14:51:58Z")
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 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-help-a-reading-program-for-underprivileged-kids/304588.md?page=2)