This post was originally published at Novelicious.com and is now at WritingTipsOasis.com. WritingTipsOasis.com acquired Novelicious.com in June 2022.
If you like to donate to worthy causes during the holidays or ask people to donate in your name in place of a gift, here are 10 literary options you might like to consider.
1. Book Aid International – Book Aid International provides books to libraries, hospitals, refugee camps and schools to support literacy, education and publishing in over 40 countries all over the world. As little as £6 could stock a community library with 36 books for children. You can also send reverse book tokens.
2. Give A Book – An easy premise. Simply donate a book and this charity will make sure it finds a needy recipient. Some donations go to cancer patients and children in deprived areas of England, while others go to book clubs for the elderly, which aim to promote reading while combating loneliness. Cost of one book? Just £5.
3. The Book Bus – One in six adults around the world have come through childhood unable to read and write, a situation mainly due to lack of books and opportunity to read. This charity’s little book buses – each one a piece of stretched magic loaded with books, materials and a crew of enthusiastic volunteers – delivers books to needy areas in Zambia, Malawi, India and Ecuador. £10 could buy and ship a set of five children’s books.
4. Book Cycle – A more direct way to donate is to send a parcel of books yourself. Book Cycle allows you to do just that. All you need are some thoughtfully chosen children’s books, a sturdy box and some tape and you can send a lasting gift to the community of your choice.5. Listening Books – A UK charity, which provides a fantastic selection of high-quality audiobooks to around 29,000 people across the UK who find it difficult or impossible to read due to illness or disability. £5 pays the daily expenses of one volunteer to go in and work with the charity. Alternatively, you can consider offering your services as a book reader.
6. The British Library – Our national library here in the UK, The British Library works hard to keep our national book collections in good condition for readers as well as preserving our treasures for future generations. For £25 you can adopt a book and help preservation work by funding new technology and training.
7. Bag Books – Bag Books is the only organisation in the world, which publishes multisensory books specifically for people with learning disabilities. The charity reaches over 19,000 children and adults throughout the UK every year. As well as donating funds, you can also collect and donate objects for the actual books or donate a multisensory gift.
8. Read International – A student volunteer led programme, which collects disused books from schools around the UK before matching them to the Tanzanian and Ugandan syllabus. £5 can buy a locally published book to supplement those sent from the UK. £25 can buy a school desk for students to read and study together.
9. The National Literacy Trust – The National Literacy Trust is a charity that is dedicated to raising literacy levels in the UK. It establishes literacy projects in the poorest communities, campaigns to make literacy a priority for politicians and offers support in schools. A gift of £7 means a child could choose a book of their own to keep, which for many will be the first they ever own. Alternatively, you can participate in there Where’s Wally? fun run or one of the numerous other fundraising events.
10. Worldreader – Worldreaders aims to eradicate illiteracy by delivering e-readers and the largest culturally relevant library to the world’s poorest people – digitally and inexpensively. The results have been remarkable with significant improvements in comprehension and fluency after just five months. Your donation goes towards e-readers and books for children in need.