As you’re joining friends and family around the dinner table this week to give thanks for the bounties of the year, take a moment to consider those who are not as fortunate. Asheville has one of the highest levels of food insecurity in the nation. That means that many of our community members are not able to indulge in the festivities of weeks like this. And where resources for food are scarce, other staples, like books in the home, tend to fall by the wayside.
This Thanksgiving, give thanks by giving back. The POP Project wants to raise $3,000 by December 31 through the Mountain Xpress’s Give!Local fundraising platform. We’re currently at $184 raised, or 6%, of that goal.
Donate through Give!Local Now!
What is POP’s Mission?
The POP Project finds new homes for used books, but our mission scope is much larger. POP spreads the powers of literacy throughout the community by providing a greater access to books for people who need it most.
There are strong documented correlations between access to books, long-term literacy levels, educational and professional success, and susceptibility to entering the corrections system. Simply put, reading is power. And the POP Project’s mission is to give power to the disenfranchised and the down-on-their-luck.
Why Our Mission Matters
From early start programs and low-income neighborhoods to day shelters for the homeless, the POP Project is there to deliver free books to people in need. Often, we give to other local agencies whose clients would benefit from a greater access to books, such as the Free Community Meal Market in Candler. Here’s what Jan Ianniello, the market’s coordinator has to say about POP’s impact on their mission:
Have no doubt your work and wonderful books are changing lives. Today, a mom brought her autistic son to the market. He has never come in before. She brought him late so that he would not become upset. He found a chalkboard and wandered/darted about a bit until I realized that the books had already been put away for the day.
I asked this disconnected boy if he liked books, and he quickly nodded and made eye contact. We pulled out the children’s books we still have (only a dozen or so) and I gave him a bag to put his choices in. Mom plopped down beside him and they carefully examined the books and selected the ones he liked. He left with a smile on his face – and a big smile on Mom’s face. His first trip into our church and to the market was a success!
This mom works hard and struggles to meet daily needs. These new books for her child were a wonderful gift! Thank you!
Why Donate to POP
Giving books is an important mission to us, but we cannot succeed in this mission alone. POP was only able to raise 80% of our budget for 2015. That directly affected our ability to collect large book donations and get as many books out into the community. Those books are sorely needed, as you can see:
- The Need is Great!—Around 1 in 10 adults in Buncombe County cannot read at a basic level and 24% of children are living in poverty. Providing a greater access to books improves literacy, which in turn boosts self esteem, improves economic autonomy, and allows individuals to better contribute to the workforce of their community.
- Every Dollar is Important!—Every dollar donated to POP translates to around 10 books given out in Buncombe County and Western North Carolina. What other expense generates that kind of return? With your donation, you can know exactly how many people you’ve helped in our community.
- The Secret to our Success is YOU!—More than 85% of POP’s funding in 2015 came from private donations. The POP Project receives no grants or government funding, so our whole budget depends on people like you who give individually or via our fundraisers.
Help the POP Project Raise $3,000 by December 31
Please help sustain POP through 2016 by making your donation today! If just 100 people gave $30, we could reach our goal.
Donate Now!
Donations can also be made via PayPal on our site or mailed to the POP Project, PO Box 18653, Asheville, NC 28814. The POP Project is a 501(c)3 organization. Please consult your tax advisor about deductible donations.