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Donate/How to Help If you are interested in learning about how to become a Sponsor or make a silent auction donation for our May 12, 2012 Annual Dinner, please click here. If you want to receive information about the dinner as we announce it, please sign up for our e-mail list.
 To see our short 2011 video about how your support can make a difference, click here for .wmv version, click here for .mov version.
 To see our short 2012 video, with interviews of students, click here to watch it on YouTube. If you want to download this video (note: can take a while), click here for .wmv version or click here for .mov version.
My Very Own Book is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization. All donations are tax-deductible. Since our formation in 2009, we have expanded from serving three to five to now seven elementary schools during this 2011-2012 school year. Our goal is to continue to serve these seven schools and possibly expand to more schools in years to come.
We hope you will consider becoming one of our donors. Your support of our organization will help put new books in the hands of students in low-income neighborhoods who have truly earned them by reading outside of school hours. It costs approximately $5,000 to run a reading program in one school for one year. While we certainly appreciate donations of any amount, a list of giving levels and recognition can be found by clicking here.
To learn how to become a 2012 Sustaining Donor and read about the benefits, click here. To see a list of current 2012 Sustaining Donors and our thank you to them, click here.
In addition to monetary donations, this page also lists other ways you can help My Very Own Book, many of which are at no cost to you. Thank you for exploring these options. Your assistance is critical to our success.
Monetary Contributions
To make a contribution with a credit card or PayPal, click the button below. You will be redirected to the secure PayPal website. The credit card option is listed in the lower left corner.
To make a monetary contribution by mailing a check, click here.
If you would like to make a large monetary contribution and would like your contribution picked up, please contact Kelley Van Auken at Kelley.VanAuken@MyVeryOwnBook.org.
If you belong to an organization or work for an employer that you think might want to make a monetary contribution, please contact Kelley via e-mail.
**Recurring monetary contributions: If you would like to donate a set amount each month for a set number of months determined by you, e-mail Kelley your preferences. She will set it up based on your parameters and e-mail you a link to sign up. Note: you do have to have a PayPal account to do so.
Payroll Deductions
MVOB has been approved by the United Way to receive your payroll deduction donations. If you normally opt to participate, we hope you will consider choosing us during open enrollment (usually Sept. or Oct.). To do so, write "My Very Own Book EIN 26-4196889" in the blank space on the form. If your company does not hand out forms during open enrollment, contact The United Way Dallas chapter at 214-978-0000 for a form. If you are not in North Texas, go to http://liveunited.org and enter your zip code in the upper left corner to find your chapter.
New Book Donations from Individuals
If you would like to see our wish list and/or purchase new books through Amazon.com, click here.
If you would like to purchase new books through a different store, please purchase and donate books for students Pre-K to 6th grade. Click here for the donation form and mailing address.
If you are donating 20 or more new books and would like them picked up, please contact Kelley Van Auken at Kelley.VanAuken@MyVeryOwnBook.org.
New Book Drives
If you belong to an organization, would like to do a service project, attend a church/synagogue/temple/mosque/etc., or have an employer that you think might be interested in putting on a new book drive for My Very Own Book, please contact Kelley Van Auken at Kelley.VanAuken@MyVeryOwnBook.org.
We can do as little or as much as the host wants to make the drive easy and successful. We can: - Provide a suggested timeline for the drive and its outreach, along with informational articles, flyers, signs, collection bins, etc.
- Speak to the entity, be on hand to help with the drive, and pick up donations.
- If you prefer it, we can provide a vendor to set up at the location and sell books that people can purchase and donate on the spot.
Elementary Schools:
Supporting our organization is an excellent way to teach children about the importance of giving. We hope you will consider supporting us by: - Hosting a book drive in conjunction with a holiday party or "just because."
- Host a book drive during the Scholastic Book Fair. Ask parents to purchase and donate one extra book to MVOB. We can provide notices (approved by you) to go home to the parents so it is cost free to you. Increased sales will result in more points for your school.
- Host a "One for Books" campaign during the Scholastic Book Fair. You ask parents to send an extra dollar or two with their kids to the classroom or Book Fair and put it in a jar. At the end of the Book Fair, the money is used to buy books for MVOB. Scholastic will match the amount raised and donate it to one of three national charities that help kids.
- Donate book fair points to MVOB to buy books.
Sign-up To Receive Our E-mails/Volunteer
Sign-up to receive our e-mails by clicking here. We never send more than one e-mail per week and you can Unsubscribe anytime. E-mails include updates about what is happening in the schools we serve, upcoming events, and volunteer opportunities. Once we announce a volunteer activity you just reply to the e-mail to sign-up. Opportunities include volunteering at an expo or book drive, volunteering at a fundraising event, helping us select books and box them up to go to schools, and sorting books in our "book room."
Spread The Word About Us
Once you are receiving our e-mails, we hope you will consider letting your friends and family know about our non-profit and encourage them to join our e-mail list. You can send them a quick e-mail or post a link on Facebook. More and more people learning about us is a huge boost to our ability to grow and serve more students.
Click here to be taken to our e-mail list sign-up page to see sample e-mails and Facebook blurbs you can use.
Invite Us to Speak to Your Organization
If you are a member of an organization that would like us to speak to your group, please contact President Helen Van Auken at Helen.VanAuken@myveryownbook.org. We can give a quick 3 minute speech or a longer speech with a PowerPoint presentation. We would love to talk to your group about what we do and how you can support our cause.
Use GoodSearch or GoodShop
Support us with a click of your mouse or through shopping. GoodSearch: Use the GoodSearch toolbar (powered by Yahoo!) with us designated as your charity and each time you do a search we'll get a donation. Those clicks add up! We've checked it out and the search engine runs just like any other with no more ads than usual. Go to http://www.goodsearch.com/toolbar/my-very-own-book to download the toolbar. Please note: All of your searches will count toward donations except for the following: 1) image searches; 2) video searches; 3) "search this site" searches; 4) searches for URL's (i.e., search terms ending in .com, .org, .net, .edu); 5) searches to sites for which the URL is well known such as HotMail, ESPN, MySpace, Facebook, GMail, AOL, etc.; 6) searches for stock quotes; 7) searches for word definitions; 8) Yellow Pages searches; 9) any searches generated from fraudulent use of the site. GoodShop: Rather than going directly to a store's website when doing on-line shopping, first go to http://www.goodsearch.com/goodshop.aspx or click on the GoodShop button on the GoodSearch toolbar. If you did not use the toolbar, enter My Very Own Book as your charity to support and then click on any of the many stores to begin shopping. Each store lists how much they will donate, as well as coupons and deals available to you.
Host a Giving Party For his 2nd birthday Jackson's parents asked guests to bring new books for MVOB to his party instead of presents. Piper's mom invited friends over to decorate holiday cookies. Rather than exchange holiday gifts, they asked guests to bring new books for our students and pajamas for another program which serves foster children.
If you want to have a gathering, whether it is for a child or adult's birthday, a holiday, or just because, please consider turning it into a giving party. It is an excellent way to give back, while having fun, and perhaps also teach children about the importance of helping others.
If interested, contact Kelley.VanAuken@MyVeryOwnBook.org. She can provide you with information to send to your guests and make arrangements to pick up the books after your gathering.
Sell on Ebay to Benefit My Very Own Book 
You can support My Very Own Book when you sell on eBay. Just designate our organization to receive 10-100% of your final sale price the next time you list something great. According to Ebay, charity listings often get more bids and higher prices than regular eBay listings. Boost your sales and support our critical work while you’re at it! Plus eBay gives back to you too, with a fee credit on your basic selling fees. http://donations.ebay.com/charity/charity.jsp?NP_ID=33423
Thank you to the following who donated and/or raised resources thus far during this FY 2010-2011:
School Giving Level
   
Grade Level Giving Level
Chamonix II Dallas, Ltd., Cinemark USA, Enterprise Holdings Foundation, Episcopal Church of the Transfiguration, Dan and Meredith Fisherman, Lennox International, McGraw-Hill, Scholastic, Muralicious, Ashley and Jack Ternan, W.P. and Bulah Luse Foundation
Classroom Giving Level
Relle Austin, Robb Blanchette and Bob Shimmin, BP Sales, First Book, Kerr Elementary (Allen ISD), Marge Langteau, Law Offices of Raymund C. King, MD, JD, PLLC, Le Creuset, Miller Consulting Services, Robert and Merrill Nunnally, Ryan Design International, United Way of Metropolitan Dallas, Dennis and Helen Van Auken
FY 2009-2010:
School Giving Level
Grade Level Giving Level
Brinker Elementary (Plano ISD), Cinemark USA, Enterprise Holdings Foundation, Episcopal Church of the Transfiguration, Dan and Meredith Fisherman, Harry W. Bass, Jr. Foundation, Premier Wines of Plano, Ryan Design International, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, Target, Jack G.B. Ternan, Jr., The Hirsch Family Foundation, The Lisa Libraries
Classroom Giving Level
American Association of University Women, Bonser-Philhower Sales, Inc., Barbara and Bill Brown, Paula Durbin, EJSmith Enterprises, Elliot Fallas, Don Hodges, Mimi Jaye, Robert Nunnally, Jr., Misty Oliver Foster, Deanna Pickett-Frye, Rob Blanchette and Bob Shimmin, John Whitney, Donna Wood-Martin
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