Not Just a POP, More Like an Explosion! – POP Project’s 2013 in Review

The POP Project had high aspirations for 2013 and, boy, did we make it a year to remember!

In April, POP participated in World Book Night USA by giving away 20 copies of “The Phantom Tollbooth” to children around town. We were excited to give out a classic children’s book about the power of imagination and the magic of words, and we imagined that we created 20 new fans of reading that day.

Thanks to the help of our sister nonprofit, the Literacy Council of Buncombe County, POP was able to sort, pack, and deliver over $3,600 worth of books to 9 organizations and agencies around Asheville and Buncombe County – all in one afternoon! Held in September, Day of Caring 2013 was a huge success thanks to the Lit Council ladies who came prepared to work hard and make a difference.

There were some ups and downs during the rest of the year. For one thing, the record-breaking summer rains caused us to cancel far too many of our volunteer opportunities this year. But POP did attract some attention during Banned Books Week in late September with our interactive poster display. And Spellbound Children’s Bookshop came on board as a new drop box location when they opened their new storefront in Reynold’s Village.

By far, the biggest asset to the POP Project this year was the addition of our intrepid children’s book volunteer, Janine Obee, who helped us not only meet our delivery goals this year, but shatter them by nearly 50 percent! In her volunteer efforts, Janine helped POP sort and place 2,933 children’s books into the hands of kids in the Enka School System, as well as a number of children’s after school programs and related nonprofits in the area. It would not have been possible for POP to touch the lives of so many children in our community without her help and dedication.

Here’s a breakdown of our donations for 2013:

Our goal for 2013 was to increase our 2012 donations by 15 percent to 4,000 books. As you can see, we not only met that goal, but exceeded it by over 50 percent!

Our 2013 donations exceeded 6,100 books, and had a value of $30,540!

We Need Your Help for 2014! Become a Storage Sponsor.

As you can see from the numbers above, the POP Project is growing quickly in size and scope. With this volume of books coming in and being delivered back into the community, our storage capacities become increasingly more important, as well. Now, more than ever, POP needs your help to house our books before they are given to those in need.

Please consider becoming a monthly storage sponsor at the $30, $60, or $120 level. You can choose to sponsor one month, or sign up as a recurring sponsor. POP’s largest administrative costs are in storing the books that are donated to us before they make it back out into the community. This donation helps us keep our books safe before they make their way to new homes. Contact us today about becoming a January sponsor.

There are many more ways to ensure that POP continues to make a positive impact on our community in 2014. Please consider donating time, money, or items that will directly impact our programs. Click here to view the items on our wish list. Click here for more ways to help.