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Resource Area For Teaching (RAFT) joins the Mercury News Gift of
Reading program (GOR) to improve literacy.
RAFT will partner with the San Jose Mercury News on the 20th annual
Gift of Reading campaign. Gift of Reading seeks to improve literacy
in our community
by bringing
the magic of books to under-served children. Between November 3
and
December 5 we will gather and distribute thousands of new and “like
new” books.
Literacy involves a continuum of learning to enable an individual
to achieve his or her goals, to develop his or her knowledge and
potential, and to participate fully in the wider society. Children
who have not developed some basic literacy skills by the time they
enter school are 3 - 4 times more likely to drop out in later years. The
academic careers of 25 to 40 percent of American children are imperiled
because they don't read well enough, quickly enough, or easily
enough.
Gift of Reading’s goal is to help support literacy in our
community by providing books to under-served children and by helping
teachers build classroom libraries for the children they teach – ultimately
increasing the children’s chances at long-term academic success.
Each year, the Gift of Reading impact grows. Last year, with the
help of 400 individual donors, 70 mini-drives and 30 community
drop-off sites we were able to distribute over 72,000 books to
underserved children throughout Silicon Valley.
This year’s drive kicks off on November 5 and concludes on
December 3, 2007.
To Donate Books
These will be the only holiday gifts for many needy children, so please give
new or like-new books, as you'd
want your own children to receive.
We are especially in need of pre-school elementary
age appropriate books. Books
in Spanish or Vietnamese are also valuable. Since they will be sorted by age
group, please do not wrap the books. Donate your own favorite titles or choose
from the list of this year's Suggested Books.
Drop-off Locations.
Individual Book Donations
From November 5 to December 3 individually donated books should
be dropped off at a local donation site.
For an updated list of donation sites go to
Drop
Off Location
To Donate Cash
All funds collected will go directly toward purchasing additional
books to be donated. You can make an online
donation at raft.net on your credit/debit card. Or you can
mail us your check or money order, made payable to "RAFT Gift of
Reading".
Gift of Reading,
c/o RAFT
1355 Ridder Park Drive
San Jose, CA 95131
Volunteer
to help sort books
Email RAFT volunteer coordinator julie@raft.net and you will
be contacted to schedule a date and time to volunteer.
Free Book Drive Kit
You can organize a book drive through your class, school or organization.
If you would like to participate in this year's Gift of Reading
campaign, complete the online Book Drive Flyer order
form and we'll send you posters, instructions and ideas.
Deadlines
Please
make your donation of books or cash before December 1,
2007, so
we can sort the books and deliver them by Christmas.
FAQ
When is the Gift of Reading Campaign?
The major campaign for the Mercury News Gift of Reading book drive
begins November 5 and will run until December 3. Books may be dropped
off at various locations throughout the community. The campaign
continues year-round and donated books may be dropped off at Resource
Area for Teaching, RAFT.
What types of books do you accept for the Gift
of Reading Drive?
Donations should be new or “like new” books. We will
not be able to accept old sets of encyclopedias or damaged books
with ripped pages or missing covers.
Where do I drop off my book donation?
From
November 5 to December 3, 2007.
Drop your books off at any one of the locations used at Drop
Off Locations.
For donations of books at other times drop them off at RAFT. 1355
Ridder Park Dr., San Jose.
Please click www.raft.net for hours of operation
and directions.
Who gets the books I donate?
Mercury News Gift of Reading, coordinated in partnership
with Resource Area for Teaching (RAFT), collects
and distribute new and “like
new” children’s books to improve literacy in our community.
These books go to many under-served children in our community.
A portion of the books will also go to help teachers build classroom
libraries for readers aged 2-17.
I would like to organize a mini book drive
at my school or organization. How do I do that?
To request a book drive kit, please send your name,
organization name, mailing address, email address,
phone number and how many
posters you would like to butch@raft.net (in the subject line – GOR
Mini Book Drive). A kit will be mailed to you.
I
would like to make a financial donation to Mercury News Gift
of Reading. How do I do that?
For financial donation to Gift of Reading, checks may be mailed
to Gift of Reading, RAFT, 1355 Ridder Park Drive, San Jose, CA
95131. All donations are tax deductible the RAFT
Tax ID # is 77-0365627.
Checks
should be made payable to RAFT/Gift of Reading. Credit card donations
may be made on a secure RAFT website at donations
on the www.raft.net
I would like to volunteer at RAFT to help with the book sorting.
How do I do that?
RAFT relies on a substantial number of volunteers to help sort
the donated books. Email the RAFT volunteer coordinator julie@raft.net and
she will contact you to schedule a date and time to volunteer.
Where is RAFT located?
RAFT is located at 1355 Ridder Park Drive, San Jose, CA 95131.
For more information on RAFT go to www.raft.net
RAFT Hours:
Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday – 10:30 to 5:30
Thursday – 10:30 to 7:00
Saturday – 9:30 to 4:00
Sunday and Monday - Closed
Who do I call for more information on the Mercury news Gift
of Reading program?
Gift of Reading Hotline: 408.213.7217
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DOCUMENTS
Click
to download documents or access online webforms.
Recipient Agencies PDF
Drop Off Locations PDF
Book Drive Kit PDF
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ATTENTION: Some
of the links
on this site might be still under development. Information will be coming soon. Please
check later or
for details and questions call:
Gift Of Reading Hotline
408.213.7217
Contact
For more information, please call our hotline at (408) 213-7217
Or you can email us at communityrelations@mercurynews.com
Quotes from past recipients:
“ Thank
you for your donation of books. The foster youth we serve often
do not have the opportunity to own their own books and it was a
pleasure to give them books – especially those separated
from their families during the holidays. Thank you.”
- Daniel Thayer Russell,
EE’s Residential
Group Homes, Inc.
“Various
children in the homework centers wrote to us that they enjoy
reading books but had never before been able to own one. Now
it is theirs.”
- David Fong, IEEE
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