Book Drives

What is a book drive?

Book drives have been a fun way to get books into the hands of children and organizations that otherwise wouldn't have the opportunity.

What happens is you find a group/organization/business that you feel passionate about helping and you collect monetary donations from friends, family and businesses in your area to go towards books for the organization.  Here is a quick video telling a little bit more about it and I'll give you the run down below on how to actually accomplish this task.

Book drives

Choose your charity

Pick a group, organization, school, etc. that you feel passionate about helping! (family in need, homeless shelter, foster kids, low income school/group, sick children, organization that helps any of the above, etc) 

 Contact the charity/group/org to let them know what you would like to do: 

“Hi _____. I am a local rep with a children’s book publisher – we are running a large nationwide book drive to raise money to purchase books through our donation match program and donate to kids in our community who need them. I’m excited to let you know that I would love to have my local donations go to [your kids] [your organization] and have set the goal to get $1000 in books donated! The book drive is taking place on Friday – I will touch base with you then to find out if you have any specific book needs and we will do our best to fill them! Thank you for what you do!”

Set your goal

Set it for at least raising $500 (you qualify for 50% MORE in free books for you to donate when it hits $250 but $500 is so much funner and that $500 donation will get $750 in books). 

 Set your goal high…what would you LOVE to do? Donate $1000 in books? Then set your donation amount for $700…or more! 

Pick your time period during which you will run your Book Drive (the shorter the better, some only do 24 hour book drives)

Get donations

Personally message, email, call friends and family.  Let them know what you are doing and how they can help.

Businesses are always looking for a tax write off.  If you are working with a non-profit organization they can write it off on their taxes.  This is a great way to get donations but takes time.

I set up a youcaring.com account for an easy way to get donations from those with the desire to help.

Sample wording to use...

Hi Sam!  How are you my friend?  I am not sure if you saw my posts on Facebook, but wanted to send you a message in case you want to be a part of something special. 

Earlier this year I partnered with Christmas Box International, a nonprofit organization that helps children who have been abused and neglected.  Because of their life circumstances, these kids are SOO far behind in school and have tremendously harder lives because of it.  Children with books do significantly better in life than those without, and so we've decided to do something to help these kids.  We are raising money to get these kids books on Christmas morning.  Many of these kids have never even had a Christmas and it breaks my heart.  My company will be matching all donations by 50%.  That means a donation of $50 will get $75 worth of books and even a $10 donation will get $15 worth of books.  If this does not work for your budget, I totally understand.  But if donating is possible.. it would be greatly appreciated!  I will need to have all donations by _____  so we have plenty of time to purchase, wrap and deliver these books.  You can help by donating here (youcaring link).  Or you can contact me. 

Thanks for considering partnering with me on this!  We are changing the world... one book at a time!

Here is a sample info post I posted for mine.

Book drive letter sample

What do I do after I collect donations?

You will want to coordinate with the organization and find out what ages and types of books they are looking for.

Order the books in order pro under Literacy for a Lifetime.

Don't forget to thank all those that donated.  I like to send them all a note in the mail.  You can also purchase nameplates to put in the cover of the books to thank those that donated.  Ask the organization FIRST if it would be ok to put the nameplates in the books.