Thank you for your interest in being a Guys Read Gals Read donor! Guys Read Gals Read, Inc. is a nonprofit volunteer organization registered with the State of Alaska and a 501c3 registered with the IRS (EIN47-2634465). Our program depends on donors like you to help us carry stories and good times into the classes, libraries, and hearts of 4th graders throughout the North Star Borough School District. 4th grade is a tough time for a lot of kids, a time when they’re figuring out who they are and who they want to be–and one of those things they’re figuring out is whether they’re A Reader!
Reading for pleasure naturally leads to improved reading skills, which in turn promotes better assimilation of knowledge and higher reading comprehension. All these things have a big impact on a child’s future. However, a lot of kids around this age decide that reading isn’t for them, that it isn’t fun! Introducing adult readers as role models and showing reluctant readers that books can be fun encourages students to read and to use the library. So how do your donations help with that?
The large majority of our annual budget goes to purchasing new books that are donated to local public school libraries. At least two copies of each book for each session are donated to every public elementary school in the district. That’s a lot of books! But we always need even more than that. Some books are also donated to the local public libraries, other schools outside of our district who need them, and at times directly to the students themselves. Books are needed for our selection process and for training our volunteers. Most of our budget goes directly to these purchases.
Other costs include prizes and bookmarks for the students, ads and notices in the newspaper, on the radio, and around town, and student parties. Printing costs build up, as well as technology costs for things like this website. On average, running the program for one year at one school will cost about $1350. We could not cover these costs without the support of our donors, and we are grateful for your help. Any amount helps, from the purchase of a single bookmark to the sponsorship of an entire school. Donors may also support the program by providing in-kind, support, discounts, gift cards, and coupons. Everything helps!
We love the opportunities to talk about our donors. Donors are recognized in the students’ videos, in the Daily News Miner, on this website, and in the books themselves, which are distributed to libraries and individuals throughout the borough and beyond.
All of this is made possible through the generous contributions of our donors. We all love our community’s children and know that learning to read joyfully will have a huge impact on their futures, starting with their grade school report cards and continuing through their likelihood of seeking higher education and into their adult lives and the relative wealth and wellness they are likely to attain.
Want to give a child a better future? Give them a book.
Better yet, give them your time and read it with them.
Thank you for helping us to do that.
Would you rather send a check? No problem! Please mail to:
Guys Read Gals Read
P.O. Box 196
Ester, AK 99725
Thank you!