ReadPhilippines Toronto's A BOOK, A GIFT, A LIFE campaign fundraises for funds to purchase books and other reading materials and to create and improve school and community libraries in the Philippines. We offer book provision for underprivileged, out-of-school children, young adults and functionally illiterate adults living in a poor demographic location where there is dearth of library and learning facilities and where there is limited or no community-based reading and literacy programs. We also reach out to areas located in the mountainous regions or in islands which require travel by foot or small boats through our literacy partners. Fulfilling this mission requires extensive funding on top of the many provisions we offer.
OUR STORY
When tropical depression Winnie hits Philippines on November 29, 2004, an estimate of 1,500 people were dead and missing and damage was at 678 million pesos. Region IV in southern Luzon was mostly affected by the storm, including the province of Infanta, Quezon where PICAB Elementary School is located. The storm ravaged the school structure and books at the library. It was within the school’s dreadful predicament that we decided to organize the A Book, A Gift, A Life campaign to purposely help re-stock PICAB’s library with books. And just like any other outstanding stories, ours began with a mission which led us to establish ReadPhilippines Toronto on November 25, 2005.
Our first book provision for PICAB Elementary School was a full box of around 300 reference and novel books and encyclopedia set collected from our book drive. In 2008 and 2009, Manuel Roxas High School Quezon City received around 500 books to support its reading program. Since then we continue to provide books which already served schools and communities in the remotest part of the country. We have partnered with literacy groups in Manila which implement community and school-based reading workshops using the books and supplies we provided.
To see more of what we do visit our Facebook page ReadPhilippines Canada
WHY DO WE DO IT?
Books educate and are a portal to the many aspects of life. Books are the basic tools for literacy and education but most of the children and adults in the Philippines grow up without access to books. So for many of them, books are truly a gift of life and hope. We also want to save unused books from ending up in landfills. Collecting and putting them back in library shelves and in the hands of people who need them not only impact their lives and the society but the environment as well.
We continue to receive a flurry of book requests from schools and communities and we do our best to make great strides in responding to their needs and in advocating reading. That is why we need your support!
WHY A $ 5,000 GOAL?
Because there is a GREAT NEED to restock and rebuild the school libraries in the Philippines especially schools that were devastated by calamities. There are regions as well where libraries do not exist. We can only realize our mission to build libraries through your monetary support. The amount we are raising will be used to:
- to fund RPT's Book Provision Program Fund which will enable us to purchase books for children and young adults, especially reference books, which are not available from our book drive inventory.
- purchase educational supplies such as bags, crayons, pencil, erasers, sharpeners, notebooks and others.
- fund out-reach programs and school and community-based reading and literacy workshops.
- to cover shipping costs to various areas in the Philippines although we encourage recipients to fundraise their own shipping expense.
- purchase and install bookshelves for our library building project and, if needed, purchase tables and chairs.
ReadPhilippines Toronto would like to thank you for your generous support and for giving our beneficiaries the opportunity to see their way into a bright and productive future.
Please click the style of widget you'd like to install
