Help Save bookBgone
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bookBgone is a socially responsible, environmentally proactive, book-loving , L.L.C.
When bookBgone enters its fifth year of existence, in June 2015, we will have redistributed over 330 tons of books and media – we figure that in the neighborhood of 354,000 items. That’s a LOT OF BOOKS!
It's not an uncommon occurance to see an news article or report about a shameful waste of books. Recent examples include a library in California and a Florida school. Local community members were horrified to find out about books being callously discarded in dumpsters and trash cans.
There was a time when libraries accepted book donations or second-hand book stores gladly purchased them, but those days are gone.
Even when books are donated to large thrift organizations, chances are that the books will be shredded and sold for pulp, rather than distributed among those who want and need them. There are very few options for individuals or organizations that wish to responsibly transfer books.
At bookBgone we strive to stem the torrent of book distruction. We have picked up hundreds and hundreds of boxes from local-area front doors and driveways and sent along thousands upon thousands of books to food banks, community centers, and literacy programs; to troops and veterans; to prisoners; schools and day care centers; half-way houses; houses of worship; teen moms; hospitals and home visit programs; and arts programs. We also send to groups and individuals and to local thrift shops. We do this all at our own expense -- at no cost to participants on either end.
How can do we do this?
BookBgone is able to re-place about 85% of the books that we pick up and we recycle the very small percentage of books that are too damaged or moldy to pass along. Approximately 12% of the books and/or media are sold. Those proceeds fund our programs.
That's how we send books at no charge to the recipients and pick up books for free.
However, like many small organizations we are being squeezed financially by rising expenses. So far we are still keeping our head above water, but if you would consider helping to defray costs that would be greatly appreciated.
While we concentrate our book giving on tri-state area organizations (where we can drive and drop the boxes) we also send books across the country to Oregon, Wisconsin, Missouri, Michigan, Nevada, Texas, Florida, North Carolina and Maine as well as to APO addresses and we have relied on a little help from our friends to offset the cost of packing and shipping.
Each box of books we send goes via media mail and costs between $10 and $15 to ship, each pickup and dropoff has associated costs of gas, materials and wear and tear to our vehicles and ourselves.
How much does this cost?
We figure we spent around $7500 on shipping and transportation (alone) last year and are projecting $10,000 next year. If every person we've picked up from pledged $10, we can comfortably continue our efforts.
How can you help?
Any amount you can send, no matter how small or large, will further our cause. $10 will send a box of books to troops stationed overseas or to senior shut-ins in Kentucky. $30 sponsors a day of local pickups. $50 pays for a book drop off at Bed-Stuy Fights Against Hunger food pantry in Brooklyn, NY. $100 will help defray the cost of truck rentals to pickup and deliver large quantities of books to disaster areas.
If you are unable to make a financial contribution, we would still appreciate your support in getting the word out about bookBgone. Tell your friends, family and neighbors. Contact us for a pickup. Give us a tip about your favorite organization that could use books. Have your kids hold a book drive -- we'll come and pick up the books and give them a second life.
Books enrich us all and statistics say that kids who have books in their lives go on to live more successful lives.
Where bookBgone books have gone:
Literacy Programs
Barbershop literacy program (Newark/Montclair, NJ)
School book pantry (Cleveland St. Orange, NJ)
Charter schools (NJ, NY, MI)
Family to Family (Giving Works program in Yonkers, NY; Waco, TX; Orlando, FL)
Little Free Library (Harlem, NYC)
School reading program (NY)
Prisoner Literacy programs (WI, NY, NC)
Rent Party (Maplewood, NJ)
Room to Read (NJ)
Urban Innovation (NYC)
Arts & Music Organizations
Actor’s Fund, The Schermerhorn (Brooklyn, NY)
Arts Unbound (Essex County, NJ)
Temple University Theater Program (Philadelphia, PA)
Third Street Community Settlement House (Manhattan, NY)
Veteran's Art Program
Senior and Community Centers
Birch Community Center (Portland, OR)
Carteret Community Seniors (Carteret, NJ)
New Esscape (Orange, NJ)
Child/Teen Rescue and/or Development
Alpha Day Care (Orange, NJ)
Covenant House (Newark, NJ)
First Baby (Chatham, NJ)
First Tee (Union & Newark NJ)
Harmony House Day Care Center (Irvington, NJ)
Hudson Pride (Jersey City, NJ)
Maplewood Garden Club
McRoberts Community Center, (McRoberts, KY)
NJ train stations 'little libraries'
Food Banks
Community Food Bank of NJ
Bed-Stuy Fights Against Hunger (Brooklyn, NY)
Good Shepherd Food Bank (Auburn, ME)
Nutured Provisions (Newark NJ)
Hospitals
Jersey City Medical Center, (Jersey City, NJ)
Disaster Relief
Post-Sandy (NJ Shore communities, Brooklyn, NY; NYC, NY)
Joplin, MO
Troops
Active Military
Veteran’s Hospitals
When bookBgone enters its fifth year of existence, in June 2015, we will have redistributed over 330 tons of books and media – we figure that in the neighborhood of 354,000 items. That’s a LOT OF BOOKS!
It's not an uncommon occurance to see an news article or report about a shameful waste of books. Recent examples include a library in California and a Florida school. Local community members were horrified to find out about books being callously discarded in dumpsters and trash cans.
There was a time when libraries accepted book donations or second-hand book stores gladly purchased them, but those days are gone.
Even when books are donated to large thrift organizations, chances are that the books will be shredded and sold for pulp, rather than distributed among those who want and need them. There are very few options for individuals or organizations that wish to responsibly transfer books.
At bookBgone we strive to stem the torrent of book distruction. We have picked up hundreds and hundreds of boxes from local-area front doors and driveways and sent along thousands upon thousands of books to food banks, community centers, and literacy programs; to troops and veterans; to prisoners; schools and day care centers; half-way houses; houses of worship; teen moms; hospitals and home visit programs; and arts programs. We also send to groups and individuals and to local thrift shops. We do this all at our own expense -- at no cost to participants on either end.
How can do we do this?
BookBgone is able to re-place about 85% of the books that we pick up and we recycle the very small percentage of books that are too damaged or moldy to pass along. Approximately 12% of the books and/or media are sold. Those proceeds fund our programs.
That's how we send books at no charge to the recipients and pick up books for free.
However, like many small organizations we are being squeezed financially by rising expenses. So far we are still keeping our head above water, but if you would consider helping to defray costs that would be greatly appreciated.
While we concentrate our book giving on tri-state area organizations (where we can drive and drop the boxes) we also send books across the country to Oregon, Wisconsin, Missouri, Michigan, Nevada, Texas, Florida, North Carolina and Maine as well as to APO addresses and we have relied on a little help from our friends to offset the cost of packing and shipping.
Each box of books we send goes via media mail and costs between $10 and $15 to ship, each pickup and dropoff has associated costs of gas, materials and wear and tear to our vehicles and ourselves.
How much does this cost?
We figure we spent around $7500 on shipping and transportation (alone) last year and are projecting $10,000 next year. If every person we've picked up from pledged $10, we can comfortably continue our efforts.
How can you help?
Any amount you can send, no matter how small or large, will further our cause. $10 will send a box of books to troops stationed overseas or to senior shut-ins in Kentucky. $30 sponsors a day of local pickups. $50 pays for a book drop off at Bed-Stuy Fights Against Hunger food pantry in Brooklyn, NY. $100 will help defray the cost of truck rentals to pickup and deliver large quantities of books to disaster areas.
If you are unable to make a financial contribution, we would still appreciate your support in getting the word out about bookBgone. Tell your friends, family and neighbors. Contact us for a pickup. Give us a tip about your favorite organization that could use books. Have your kids hold a book drive -- we'll come and pick up the books and give them a second life.
Books enrich us all and statistics say that kids who have books in their lives go on to live more successful lives.
Where bookBgone books have gone:
Literacy Programs
Barbershop literacy program (Newark/Montclair, NJ)
School book pantry (Cleveland St. Orange, NJ)
Charter schools (NJ, NY, MI)
Family to Family (Giving Works program in Yonkers, NY; Waco, TX; Orlando, FL)
Little Free Library (Harlem, NYC)
School reading program (NY)
Prisoner Literacy programs (WI, NY, NC)
Rent Party (Maplewood, NJ)
Room to Read (NJ)
Urban Innovation (NYC)
Arts & Music Organizations
Actor’s Fund, The Schermerhorn (Brooklyn, NY)
Arts Unbound (Essex County, NJ)
Temple University Theater Program (Philadelphia, PA)
Third Street Community Settlement House (Manhattan, NY)
Veteran's Art Program
Senior and Community Centers
Birch Community Center (Portland, OR)
Carteret Community Seniors (Carteret, NJ)
New Esscape (Orange, NJ)
Child/Teen Rescue and/or Development
Alpha Day Care (Orange, NJ)
Covenant House (Newark, NJ)
First Baby (Chatham, NJ)
First Tee (Union & Newark NJ)
Harmony House Day Care Center (Irvington, NJ)
Hudson Pride (Jersey City, NJ)
Maplewood Garden Club
McRoberts Community Center, (McRoberts, KY)
NJ train stations 'little libraries'
Food Banks
Community Food Bank of NJ
Bed-Stuy Fights Against Hunger (Brooklyn, NY)
Good Shepherd Food Bank (Auburn, ME)
Nutured Provisions (Newark NJ)
Hospitals
Jersey City Medical Center, (Jersey City, NJ)
Disaster Relief
Post-Sandy (NJ Shore communities, Brooklyn, NY; NYC, NY)
Joplin, MO
Troops
Active Military
Veteran’s Hospitals
Organizer
Lois Shalom Cantwell
Organizer
Union, NJ
