5 Places to Donate Money or Books to Support Literacy
Happy Giving Tuesday!
5 Places to Donate Money or Books to Support Literacy
1. Chicago Literacy Alliance
5 Places to Donate Money or Books to Support Literacy: 1) Chicago Literacy Alliance
Low literacy affects entire communities, and Chicago is no exception.
From succeeding in pre-school to filling out a successful job application, literacy is the key to a successful and independent life, and to a vibrant and sustainable city.
The Chicago Literacy Alliance was formed with a collective passion to help people of all ages and backgrounds receive the critical literacy support they need, from basic education and tutoring through enrichment, literary arts, and book distribution. Over 120 literacy organizations are able to collaborate in order to find the best possible solutions and work more efficiently.
Working together, we envision a future in which 100% of Chicago residents are functionally literate, and in which that shared literacy is a defining characteristic and point of pride for the city. This #GivingTuesday, you can double your impact! Thanks to a generous gift from a supporter of literacy, the first $5,000 donations received today will be matched!
2. Open Books
5 Places to Donate Money or Books to Support Literacy: 2) Open Books
Each year, generous readers donate hundreds of thousands of books to support literacy. We sell those books in our stores and online to help fund our programs, use and give them away in our instructional and book grant programs, and recycle any that are unusable. Our book department produces zero waste, and we give away 2 books for every 3 we sell. We welcome any sellable book in good condition. This includes fiction, nonfiction, craft books, cookbooks, children’s books, and more! We also accept LPs, CDs, and DVDs in good playable condition. We CANNOT accept: encyclopedias, dictionaries, thesauruses, sets of law books, magazines / journals, VHS tapes, or pre-college (K-12) textbooks.
Though Open Books depends predominantly on our earned income model, direct support from the community is crucial for everything we do. Your support helps us provide literacy experiences for tens of thousands of readers each year.
All donations to Open Books are tax-deductible and help support our programs.
3. Working in the Schools (WITS)
5 Places to Donate Money or Books to Support Literacy: 3) Working in the Schools (WITS)
WITS builds communities of learners and leaders through consistent mentorship and teacher professional development programs, empowering the next generation of Chicago’s students to succeed. WITS programs are designed to move students through the transition from learning-to-read to reading-to-learn. This is key to a students’ future personal and academic success. When students reach reading proficiency by fourth grade they are four times more likely to graduate from high school. Students who are supported by strong mentors form positive mindsets necessary to grow academically and stay on track in school.
100% of WITS programs are privately funded and offered at no cost to partner schools, students, or teachers. Every dollar you donated is an investment in Chicago’s youth and the future of the city.
Amazon wish lists (books for programs):
4. 826CHI
5 Places to Donate Money or Books to Support Literacy: 4) 826CCHI
Your contribution to 826CHI directly enhances the education of 2500+ Chicago youth. Our tuition-free programming—available year-round to students and teachers across the city—helps students realize the value of their education, the power of their individual voices, and the necessity of playfulness and creativity in writing. Your generosity plays a vital part in making it all possible.
You can donate by mailing a check to 826CHI, 1276 N. Milwaukee Ave, Chicago, IL 60622 or clicking the button below.
5. SitStayRead
5 Places to Donate Money or Books to Support Literacy: 5) SitStayRead
With your support on #GivingTuesday, SitStayRead can bring the magic of reading and writing, dedicated volunteers, and more caring Certified Reading Assistance Dogs together in the classroom, during the school day, to over 2,000, 1-3 grade students this school year. We serve 17 Chicago Public Schools in low-income neighborhoods all over Chicago. With our proven canine-based curriculum, we are working to increase various literacy skills, including reading fluency, comprehension, written expression, and enhancing social-emotional learning. We also work to establish positive attitudes towards reading and writing and develop an understanding of and connection with animals. With your support, we'll be able to reach more students in more classrooms this school year, so please consider donating today!
