Believe it or not, 2019 is halfway complete. But how is POP doing on our “10 for 10” Book Giving Campaign and other nonprofit goals?
Let’s find out!
As a 100% volunteer-led organization, the POP Project is entirely dependent on the hard work of our volunteers, the dedication of our community supporters, and the generosity of our local donors. Not only do we believe you deserve to see what we’ve been up to this year, but we’re excited to share it with you.
Here’s a quick midyear progress report of POP’s activities:
POP’s “10 for 10” Book Giving Campaign Updates
The POP Project gives free books to a variety of locations in Buncombe and surrounding counties whose clients would benefit from greater access to books. Among our regular delivery locations are area food pantries, homeless shelters, detention centers, and low income schools.
In 2019, POP set a goal to deliver 10,000 books free of charge before our 10th birthday this fall! We call it our “10 for 10” book giving campaign. Read more about it.
POP Book Deliveries for 2019 (So Far)
These numbers represent a different mix than at midyear last year. For instance, our deliveries to Little Free Libraries around the county is exactly double what it was in July 2018 and our deliveries to local detention centers is almost triple. With these amounts, thanks to our “10 for 10” efforts, we’re at a considerably higher total than we were this time in 2017 (2,486) or 2018 (2,655).
- 1,361 = Community Nonprofits, Housing Centers, and Organizations
- 1,244 = Little Free Libraries
- 951 = Schools and Children’s Programs
- 713 = Local Jails and Detention Centers
- 160 = Other
- 4,429 = TOTAL BOOKS DONATED SO FAR
NOTE: Our midyear book delivery numbers are not necessarily indicative of our impact for the whole year. Some of our biggest delivery days are in the fall, once school begins back and again before the holidays.
See how these numbers compare to last year.
What Else POP’s Been up to in 2019
In addition to our regular book deliveries, we’ve been staying active in other ways:
- The POP Project earned a 2019 Gold Seal of Transparency from GuideStar, the world’s largest source of information on nonprofit organizations.
- We participated in the North Carolina Science Festival, which engaged with LFLs across the state to encourage science literacy in our communities.
- We pitched a tent at the West Asheville Tailgate Market this spring to sell some of our excess cookbooks and home and garden books.
- In May, the POP Project team reached 50,000 lifetime books delivered. That’s more than $250,000 of free books to places with needs throughout our community and state, all at no cost to the recipients, since we started in 2009!
- We set up a new drop box location at Hanger Hall School for Girls in North Asheville (64 W.T. Weaver Boulevard).
- We’ve raised $1,342.02 of our $3,000 budget goal for 2019.
- Our incoming book donations are staying sorted as they come in, thanks to our wonderful monthly Homeward Books volunteers.
What’s Next?!
There’s still a lot of time left in 2019, and we have a lot to do to reach our “10 for 10” Book Giving Campaign goal! But we can’t do it alone. Here are just a few ways you can help boost our success:
Suggest Delivery Locations (or Request Books!) – Do you know of an area school or community center that has a free library? Do you work with a local organization that would benefit from free books and book sets? Send us a quick note or pass along our contact information: aPOPproject@gmail.com.
Start a Lending Library – Ready to start a lending library in your office? We can deliver a shelf and your choice of books to your location. In a matter of minutes, you’ll have a brand new lending library ready to go.
See a Shelf? Let us know – When you grab your morning latte, have you noticed that your favorite coffee shop has a “take a book, leave a book” shelf? Have you spotted a stack of free books at your laundromat, dentist’s waiting room, or favorite brewery? We’re putting together a list of such places—Let us know!
Become a Volunteer – POP is in need of a few enthusiastic, long-term volunteers to organize our donations of children’s and adult-level books and keep the process of distributing them flowing smoothly. Help us arrange regular deliveries with existing contacts and reach out to new agencies in the region. Sort, count, and deliver books that match those needs. Part-time and extremely flexible.
Save the Date! – POP is excited to participate in the Mountain Xpress Give Local community fundraising program again this fall! Mark your calendars for the kick-off event on October 24—It’s always a great event!
It can be hard to stay motivated when the fun of summer calls to you just as the glaring heat slows you down. But there’s no stopping us now! POP is well on track to having our biggest year of book deliveries yet—and hopefully meeting our “10 for 10” giving goal.
We’ll keep you in the loop as we continue to move forward—one book at a time.