Tell a Short Story, Donate Money: It's All Part of Indigo Adopt a School program

By Perry Stern 9/23/16 | www.samaritanmag.com

Photo courtesy of Indigo Love of Reading Foundatio.
Got a short story worth sharing online?  It could translate into a book donation by Indigo Love of Reading Foundation to a school in need. Of course, monetary donations are also part of this annual fundraiser to get more books into school libraries.

Indigo, Chapters and Coles stores are “adopting” more than 200 high-needs elementary schools to fundraise for new books and educational supplies, and almost 300 other schools can receive direct donations. It will run from Sept. 18 through Oct. 9.

It’s all part of Indigo Books & Music Inc.’s Indigo Love of Reading Foundation, which has put over 325,000 books into libraries across Canada since 2009.

“Canadian high-needs elementary schools are in crisis,” said Ariel Siller, executive director of the Indigo Love of Reading Foundation, in a press statement. “These schools severely lack the funds and resources they need to keep libraries up to date and student literacy rates high.

“In Canada, where a shocking 43 percent of students leaving high school have insufficient literacy skills to cope with the demands of work and everyday life, the Adopt a School program supports literacy development at a young age, when the impact is greatest. We are proud to provide a program that supports local communities as they put books back at the heart of their school libraries, and inspire a love of reading in every Canadian child.”

To date the campaign has raised over $3.7 million, helped libraries in every Canadian province and territory, aided more than 2,000 high-needs elementary schools and has had an impact on over 650,000 students, according to the Foundation. The release outlines the three ways to participate in the program:

  1. Donate: All schools participating in Adopt a School receive 100 percent of the donations fundraised in-store and online at adoptaschool.indigo.ca.  At the end of the program, the Foundation will provide each school with their funds as an e-gift card. Schools will also receive 30 percent off all books at Indigo, Chapters and Coles stores.
  2. Book Bonus: When supporters donate $20, the equivalent value of two books, to a participating school of their choice on adoptaschool.indigo.ca, the Indigo Love of Reading Foundation will contribute a donation of $10, the equivalent of one extra book. For every two books given, the school will receive a third for free!
  3. Tell a Story, Give a Story: Through adoptaschool.indigo.ca, supporters are also able to provide support to their school of choice, with no donation required. When supporters share a short story on the profile of a participating school and that story is selected to be featured on adoptaschool.indigo.ca, the Foundation will donate a book to that school’s library, for free.

The Indigo Love of Reading Foundation was founded in 2004 to help restock underfunded public elementary school libraries. Since then, the Foundation has committed over $23 million to more than 2,600 schools. The Foundation annually grants $1.5 million to 25 high-needs elementary schools in order to re-supply their libraries with the purchase of new books and educational resources.

困ったらここ!実家暮らしカップルの定番デートスポット5選

* Samaritanmag.com is an online magazine covering the good deeds of individuals, charities and businesses.