by Sarah Deringer, Head Editor, INALJ Mississippi
Spirit of Giving: 16 Charities to Consider
Are you in the Spirit of giving this holiday season? Or do you not know what you should get your Library and Information friends this Christmas? Consider making a donation to a charity which has a mission of providing information and developing literacy for the community. You can even donate to your local library or Friends of the Library foundation.
If you have no ideas for charities to give to or if you would like more information about the charity before giving, check out this list of 16 charities with information- and literacy-driven mission statements! I have made the list using Charity Navigator; each charity listed has four out of four stars in its overall rating.
- Archaeological Conservancy – Albuquerque, NM
- Charity Navigator information: http://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm?bay=search.summary&orgid=5866#.Uqcu_tJDvKg
- Charity website: http://www.americanarchaeology.com/
- Better Basics – Birmingham, AL
- Charity Navigator information: http://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm?bay=search.summary&orgid=8700#.UqcvTNJDvKg
- Charity website: http://www.betterbasics.org/
- Chicago Public Library Foundation – Chicago, IL
- Charity Navigator information: http://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm?bay=search.summary&orgid=10691#.UqcvDdJDvKg
- Charity website: http://www.chicagopubliclibraryfoundation.org/
- Children’s Literacy Initiative – Philadelphia, PA
- Charity Navigator information: http://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm?bay=search.summary&orgid=5097#.UqcxxNJDvKg
- Charity website: http://www.cliontheweb.org/
- East Harlem Tutorial Program – New York, NY
- Charity Navigator information: http://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm?bay=search.summary&orgid=6873#.Uqcx5tJDvKg
- Charity website: http://www.ehtp.org/contact-us
- Ferst Foundation for Childhood Literacy – Madison, GA
- Charity Navigator information: http://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm?bay=search.summary&orgid=11585#.UqcyVtJDvKg
- Charity website: http://www.ferstfoundation.org/
- First Book – Washington, DC
- Charity Navigator information: http://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm?bay=search.summary&orgid=3699#.UqcyZtJDvKg
- Charity website: http://www.firstbook.org/
- The Friends of the Saint Paul Public Library – St. Paul, MN
- Charity Navigator information: http://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm?bay=search.summary&orgid=3735#.Uqcv09JDvKg
- Charity website: http://www.thefriends.org/
- The Huntington Library, Arts Collections, and Botanical Gardens – San Marino, CA
- Charity Navigator information: http://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm?bay=search.summary&orgid=3815#.UqcwFdJDvKg
- Charity website: http://www.huntington.org/
- Literacy Coalition of Palm Beach County – Delray Beach, FL
- Charity Navigator information: http://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm?bay=search.summary&orgid=9172#.Uqcy4NJDvKg
- Charity website: http://www.pbcliteracy.org/
- The New York Public Library – New York, NY
- Charity Navigator information: http://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm?bay=search.summary&orgid=4550#.UqcwntJDvKg
- Charity website: http://www.nypl.org/
- Reach Out and Read – Boston, MA
- Charity Navigator information: http://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm?bay=search.summary&orgid=6536#.UqczCtJDvKg
- Charity website: http://www.reachoutandread.org/
- Read Alliance – New York, NY
- Charity Navigator information: http://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm?bay=search.summary&orgid=9150#.UqczDtJDvKg
- Charity website: http://www.readalliance.org/
- Reading Partners – Oakland, CA
- Charity Navigator information: http://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm?bay=search.summary&orgid=13078#.UqczH9JDvKg
- Charity website: http://www.readingpartners.org/
- The Seattle Public Library Foundation – Seattle, WA
- Charity Navigator information: http://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm?bay=search.summary&orgid=4452#.UqcxndJDvKg
- Charity website: http://foundation.spl.org/
- United Through Reading – San Diego, CA
- Charity Navigator information: http://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm?bay=search.summary&orgid=9153#.Uqczj9JDvKg
- Charity website: http://www.unitedthroughreading.org/
What should you do if you cannot give money? Give time! If you would like to give time instead of money, just contact the charity. Libraries also take volunteers! While the focus of the volunteer time is to help out, make volunteering a bit more fun by getting a group of friends together to help out.
No matter what or how you decide to give this holiday season, don’t forget library and literacy charities. It’s a great way to give back and spark a movement of learning and giving!
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