Q. I would like the food pantry/bank in my area to consider becoming a Book Fairy Pantry Project, where do I begin?

A. If you are reading this page you have begun. Welcome! Here are the materials and resources to support your vision of being a literacy activist in your community.

1. Read Pam Leo's posts on literacy and her Book Fairy adventures in her home state of Maine on the BFPP blog and on Kindred Media.

2. Read the Getting Started and How It Works directions below.

3. Join the Book Fairy Pantry Project Mighty Networks Discussion Group where you can ask Pam Leo and others questions and share your stories! Join the group here.

4. Please make a donation to support the Book Fairy Pantry Project here.

5. Let us know where you are so we can add you to the BFPP Directory! Email Pam at bookfairypantryproject (at) gmail.com.

6. Get your materials. There are a number of projects with specific materials on their pages on this site to support their goals. There are also more general materials and resources to support your BFPP launch. Below you can find the general materials, but you can find dedicated materials on these project pages: 

100 Places-Before-Fall FREE Summer Family "Adventure Reading" Challenge!

100 Stories Project

General Materials (click on the link to download a PDF)

Book Fairly Pantry Project Tri-Fold Brochure

BFPP Poster

BFPP Banner

BFPP Book Plates

BFPP Bumper Sticker

BFPP Circle of Literacy Flyer

BFPP Vehicle Magnet (Let them see you flying in!)

Talk to the people managing your food pantry/bank and tell them of your excitement about this project and how the project works, and take some copies of this page for the food pantry staff.

The project operates completely on donations and volunteers, thus it will never lose its funding because there is no funding required. All books given out will be new and gently used books donated by your community at collection boxes set up in your local schools, nursery schools, day care homes and centers, churches, and the library. The jobs of making and putting up posters and setting up the collection boxes can be done by youth volunteers. 

The  jobs of collecting and delivering the books to the food pantry, sorting out and recycling any stained, ripped, written in, or otherwise injured books, cleaning books with baby wipes, and shelving books by category, (board books, picture books, beginning reader books, beginning chapter books, and chapter books) will be done by volunteers. Having a book fairy parent support volunteer to be present when parents are selecting books, to provide guidance and suggestions, if asked, greatly enhances the parent experience.

Each Book Fairy Pantry Project food pantry will be its own project and be run completely independently through cooperation between the food pantry staff and the book project coordinator and volunteers. (You do not share our nonprofit status but can pursue your own if you wish!)

The Book Fairy Pantry Project coordinator is usually, but not always, the person who initiates bringing the BFPP to the food pantry and enrolls other volunteers to do all the volunteer jobs.

• Project volunteer coordinator and food pantry staff liaison.
  
• PR volunteer to publicize your project, through Facebook, the local paper, church bulletins, school notices, and any other creative ways there are to get the word out.
  
• Book donation boxes volunteer.
  
• Book drive coordinator volunteer.
  
• Book collection volunteers to pick up books from donation boxes and deliver them to the food pantry.
  
• Volunteers to sort, clean, categorize, and shelve books. * See Book Fairy Book Standards for specific recommendations.
  
• A volunteer to be present during pantry hours to assist parents in book selections if requested.
  
• ​A volunteer to arrange with schools, day cares, nursery schools, churches, doctor's offices, and libraries to host and promote the book donation boxes.
  
• The number of volunteers needed for a successful project will be determined by each food pantry and the coordinator. One volunteer may do many jobs or there may be one or more volunteers for each job.    

That's it. This is a project in process. We will take this idea and use our time and talents to make this happen. Not just for parents and children, but for our communities and our world. It  is my hope that as more and more projects get established that you will email us and let us know what is working well, what challenges you are encountering, and what ideas you would like to share with other pantries.

REGISTRATION AND DIRECTORY LISTING

If you find the materials on this site useful, we would appreciate a donation to our nonprofit initiative to support our work. The only requirement the Book Fairy Pantry Project asks is that you register your pantry by letting us know you exist and emailing us at bookfairypantryproject@gmail.com. 

DONATE

All Book Fairy Pantry Project materials are designed by Maureen Topa! Visit her website here.