Give the Gift of Reading
As part of our commitment to providing opportunities for our community to read, learn, connect and create, Whitehorse Manningham Libraries is hosting a Christmas fundraising appeal to provide gift bags of books and learning resources to children in our community experiencing disadvantage.
Click here to give your gift
Why?
Parents and carers are a child’s first teacher and the home environment is the key to early childhood literacy. A child whose family is experiencing vulnerable circumstances, hardship or disadvantage is most at risk of starting school with fewer literacy prerequisites.
Children who start school behind typically stay behind. If a child is a poor reader at the end of year one, there is a 90% chance that they will still be a poor reader at the end of year four. Low literacy has a life-long impact on education, employment and health outcomes. It is therefore imperative that children are actively supported in language and literacy development and encouraged to love reading from an early age.
Drawing on research demonstrating the direct relationship between books in the home environment and the level of education attained, the Give the Gift of Reading appeal will assist families by providing high quality, age appropriate, reading material selected by our experts in early literacy development.
Who will receive the gifts?
Whitehorse Manningham Libraries (WML) will deliver Give the Gift of Reading in partnership with Free From Family Violence (FVREE), the City of Whitehorse and Manningham City Council Maternal and Child Health Services. Gifts will be distributed to children in families who are experiencing a period of increased need.
How will program be funded?
WML will cover the cost of marketing the fundraising appeal for this program, so that donors can be sure that 100% of donated funds will be used to purchase and distribute books and learning resources to families in crisis or experiencing disadvantage. Staffing and marketing costs will be drawn from WML’s business as usual budget – not from funds that have been donated by community members.
Will any donated funds be used for core library services and programs?
No, all donated funds will be used to deliver Give the Gift of Reading to community members in crisis or experiencing disadvantage. All programs delivered using donated funds will be in addition to existing core library services and programs.
All donations will be placed in a special fund that can only be used specifically towards special extension services.
WML is required to report to on all fund raising activities.
A copy of the Annual Report can be found here
Are donations tax deductible?
Yes. All donations of $2 or more are tax deductible. A tax receipt will be provided for donations of $2 or more.
Click here to give your gift
All donations are made to Whitehorse Manningham Regional Library Corporation (ABN 969 34 505 907)
Cash and cheque donations may be made at any of the eight Whitehorse Manningham Library branches.
Cheques should be made payable to Whitehorse Manningham Regional Library Corporation.
What if I would like to donate to another library program?
If you would like to discuss giving a direct gift to the library, please contact Sally Both on 9896 4333