Opportunities to Help
How USBBY Supports Literacy Around the World
General USBBY Donations
General donations to USBBY go into the working budget. These funds assist the organization in paying for operational expenses such as committee work, promotion and publicity, and general supplies and mailings.
When you donate, however, you can specify a particular fund if you wish.
Hands Across the Sea
Hands Across the Sea donations are used to help underfunded national sections in IBBY to pay their annual dues. These donations assist USBBY´s twinning partners around the world-Haiti, Lebanon, Palestine, South Africa, and Zambia-with their dues payment. For more information about our partners, see the IBBY Partners and Friends section of the USBBY website.
IBBY Children in Crisis Fund
The Children in Crisis Fund provides support for children whose lives have been disrupted through war, civil disorder or natural disaster. The two main activities are the therapeutic use of books and storytelling, and the creation or replacement of collections of selected books in the local language. The program is not only meant to provide immediate support and help, but also to make a long term impact in the communities thus supporting IBBY´s goal of giving every child the Right to Become a Reader. For more information, go to the IBBY website.
USBBY Special Projects Fund
In February 2007, the USBBY Board of Directors approved creating a Special Projects Fund to be used specifically to fund worthy projects, both domestic (U.S.) and foreign (IBBY related projects) that merit USBBY support. A committee was formed to develop criteria, guidelines, and the application and selection process. These have been in place now for the past two years and several projects have been funded, including the following approved by the Board.
The Lubuto Library Project (2009): $1,000
The funding for this project was made possible through USBBY´s twinning partnership with IBBY Zambia in Africa. The funds will be used to make the next Lubuto Library a reality. As stated by Jane Myers, Project President, "USBBY´s gift will contribute to the construction of the second Lubuto Library, to be built in the rural area of Nabukuyu, Zambia, as a centerpiece of the Matantala Rural Development Enterprise. Specifically this amount will cover the costs of lighting and electrical power outfitting for the library - literally turning on the lights of the Lubuto Library." USBBY members can follow the progress of that construction, and see the impact of their donations on the photo gallery at www.Lubuto.org Zambia´s IBBY dues are being supported by USBBY for the next three years as part of the USBBY´s twinning relationship with that country.The Zimbabwe Website Project (2010): $1,500
Special Projects funds were approved by the USBBY Board to help IBBY Zimbabwe establish a website for their section, specifically to pay for the website design, the domain name registration, web hosting, web updates, and training on its use. When completed, the Zimbabwe website will have a link to USBBY.The Lebanese Library Project (2010): $1,700
The funding for this project was made possible through USBBY´s twinning partnership with IBBY Lebanon. The money will be used to fund a portable library with 120 fiction and non-fiction books in a needy public school in a deprived area of Beirut. Workshops will be held in the school on the importance of reading for the development of each family member, techniques to promote reading among children, and techniques of story reading and story telling for parents. The IBBY Lebanon goal is to find funding for reading centers for ten libraries. Additional information about IBBY LebanonThe USBBY Special Projects Committee is currently accepting applications for funding future activities and/or projects.
Applications are judged on urgency of the need, the quality of the proposed project, short term and long term benefits, and compatibility with IBBY and USBBY´s mission and goals. No more than $4,000 will be awarded annually to any one project.
If you know of worthy domestic or foreign projects that would fit the criteria, you are invited to submit an application via email to V. Ellis Vance, Special Projects Fund chairperson, vev40@comcast.net. The application and guidelines can be downloaded or by emailing Ellis Vance at Executive.Secretary@usbby.org
The deadline for application submission is August 1 each year.
Members who would like to donate to the Special Projects Fund can do so by sending checks to USBBY, c/o Joan Glazer, 59 Pond View Drive, Warwick, RI 02886. Please note in the memo line that the donation is for the Special Projects Fund. Credit card donations can also be made online at the USBBY website through PayPal.
Become a donor today. Make a difference! The process is simple!
Your choices are:
- The USBBY web site
- Use your credit card
- Download and print the PDF membership application, then mail it and your check to:
USBBY Donations c/o V. Ellis Vance
5503 N. El Adobe Drive
Fresno, CA 93711-2363