Donate

My Very Own Book is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization. All donations are tax-deductible. We have expanded from three elementary schools during our first program year to five schools during this 2010-2011 school year. Our goal is to continue to 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 who have truly earned them by reading outside of school hours and improved their literacy skills in the process.

The exact cost depends on the size of a school and the number of students who participate, but on average the non-profit will need approximately 1,500 books or approximately $5,000 to run a reading program in one school for one year. While we certainly appreciate donations of any amount, we hope you will consider giving at one of the levels below.

In addition to monetary donations, this page also lists other ways you can help My Very Own Book. Thank you for exploring these options. Your assistance is critical to our success.

Giving Levels:

Student ($100)

Knowledge that you are improving the lives of students and have our heartfelt gratitude for doing so!

My Very Own Book quarterly e-newsletter.

Classroom ($500)

All of the above, plus:

Recognition as a donor on this website.

Grade Level ($1,000)

All of the above, plus:

Recognition as a donor on the Welcome page of this website.

School ($5,000)

All of the above, plus:

Your individual or corporate name listed as a donor on the 2010-2011 materials distributed to participating schools.

Your individual or corporate name listed as a donor in My Very Own Book's 2010-2011 back-to-school press release.

How to Donate

Monetary Contributions - By Credit Card or PayPal Account

You can make a monetary contribution by clicking on the donate button below. You will be redirected to the secure PayPal website. On this website you have the option of donating with a credit card (option listed in the lower left corner) or with your own PayPal account.

Monetary Contributions - By Check

You can make a monetary contribution by mailing a check made out to "My Very Own Book" to:

My Very Own Book

c/o President Helen Van Auken

1150 Scarlett Drive

Allen, TX 75002

Please also fill out and submit the on-line Contribution Form at the bottom of this page.

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.

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 mail them to:

My Very Own Book

c/o President Helen Van Auken

1150 Scarlett Drive

Allen, TX 75002

As our reading programs are run in elementary schools, please donate new books that are for Pre-K to 6th grade.

Please also fill out and submit the on-line Contribution Form at the bottom of this page.

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.

Note: If you donate books that equal one of the giving levels above we will consider you a donor at that level.

New Book Drives

If you belong to an organization, 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.

My Very Own Book can give you the information and materials you need to run the book drive or we can run it for you. Don't want people to have to remember to go out and buy a book? We can have a book seller set up and sell books on your premises.

If you would like a presentation given to your group to help you decide whether to do a book drive we would be happy to do so. We appreciate your support and want to work with you to make the new book drive both convenient and very successful!

Note: Elementary schools wanting to do book drives should consider doing it in conjunction with the school book fair. We can provide notes to go home to parents asking them to purchase and donate an extra book. It will help our organization and also help the school earn more points.

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 her 5th birthday Morgan asked friends to bring new books for MVOB to her 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

Contribution Form for Checks and Book Donations

This form and its form processor supplied by www.tectite.com.

A BIG THANK YOU to the following who donated and/or raised resources in FY 2009-2010:

School Giving Level:

Grade Level Giving Level:

Brinker Elementary 1st, 3rd, & 5th Grades, 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