501c3 status for Open Books
Donation protected
Open Books is a non-profit, volunteer-run bookstore. Proceeds from the sale of books and donations support the Prison Book Project, operating since 2000. The Prison Book Project currently sends around 6,000 books each year to indigent inmates in Florida prisons, the largest prison system in the country and one sorely lacking in-house book collections. The Prison Book Project currently serves approximately 1,800 inmates each year.
We provide free books to improve the lives of prisoners, to provide educational resources, and to help reduce the likelihood of their returning to the prison system. Our communities fare better when prisoners returning to society have had an opportunity to learn, grow, and mature as individuals. Books provide the inspiration and knowledge for that growth.
Each month we process around 150 inmate book requests at a cost of $525 for mailing. The book store operating costs (utilities, maintenance) run around $300, so we operate on a modest budget of around $800 – $1,000/month.
Prisoners simply have to send us a letter and we send them books. While the Open Books book store has a wide selection of new and used books, the selection that has been donated to the Prison Book Project is limited. We do our best to find something that fits the interests of the prisoner.
We’re a grass-roots project that really works! Through our efforts, demand for our services has increased. As we enter the next phase of our endeavor we hope to obtain 501c3 status which will allow us access to more funding to meet the demand. That's where you come in!
With this $1000 we will file the applications for 501c3 status. The applications are ready, we just need your help in raising this money. Learn more about us at http://www.openbookspcola.org/
We hope you will join us on this next phase! Please donate now!
We provide free books to improve the lives of prisoners, to provide educational resources, and to help reduce the likelihood of their returning to the prison system. Our communities fare better when prisoners returning to society have had an opportunity to learn, grow, and mature as individuals. Books provide the inspiration and knowledge for that growth.
Each month we process around 150 inmate book requests at a cost of $525 for mailing. The book store operating costs (utilities, maintenance) run around $300, so we operate on a modest budget of around $800 – $1,000/month.
Prisoners simply have to send us a letter and we send them books. While the Open Books book store has a wide selection of new and used books, the selection that has been donated to the Prison Book Project is limited. We do our best to find something that fits the interests of the prisoner.
We’re a grass-roots project that really works! Through our efforts, demand for our services has increased. As we enter the next phase of our endeavor we hope to obtain 501c3 status which will allow us access to more funding to meet the demand. That's where you come in!
With this $1000 we will file the applications for 501c3 status. The applications are ready, we just need your help in raising this money. Learn more about us at http://www.openbookspcola.org/
We hope you will join us on this next phase! Please donate now!
Organizer
Scott Grissom
Organizer
Pensacola, FL
