https://docs.google.com/document/d/1VrrGP3kSP4mUA0lkzFjpCi3brl3TT8m_/edit
For 50 years, RIF of NOVA has provided new books to underserved children in Northern Virginia. RIF of NOVA is committed -- through its actions in providing books to children in the Northern Virginia region -- to building a sustainable, equitable, inclusive, and resilient community.
During the pandemic, we initiated a program to collect very gently used books to augment the number of books our RIF of NOVA children could receive as well as to expand our book distributions to additional children and organizations serving underserved families. To date we have distributed more than 16,000 gently used books to local children and we have collected over 20,000 books to date.
CONTACT US: If you would like to organize a book drive or have collected very gently used books, please read the following information and fill out a Contact Form. A RIF of NOVA representative will be back in touch with you.
These are the kinds of books we need:
AGE RANGE: We serve children from babies through sixth grade.
BOOK CONDITION: We distribute very gently used (nearly new) books. Pride in book ownership is one of our goals for RIF of NOVA children. Books with worn covers or writing on the book do not meet this standard. It is helpful if you stress the gently used (nearly new) criteria in your publicity.
KINDS OF BOOKS: We are looking for paperback and hardback books which encourage children to develop a love of reading. The books we distribute are like those you would find in an elementary school library or the children’s section (not Young Adult section) of a public library. We welcome fiction and non-fiction. We do not distribute religious books, workbooks, coloring books or sticker books.
EXAMINE THE BOOK DONATIONS: We would ask that book drive organizations look through the collected books and remove books which do not meet our criteria. If you are in doubt, please leave the book in the collection. We suggest donating the discarded books to public library book sales which provide low-cost books to our communities and use the funds raised to promote reading.
PACKING BOOKS: The books should be packed in small to medium boxes (in other words, not too heavy to lift). Please note on the box the organization name and the number of books in the box.
DELIVERY AND PICK UP OF DONATIONS: Let your RIF of NOVA contact know how many books or boxes you have when you are ready to transfer the books. We will put you in touch with a RIF of NOVA Board member to arrange for the transfer. We have multiple drop off sites in Northern Virginia. We may be able pick up your books depending on the quantity of boxes and location.
PUBLICITY: We would be delighted to recognize your donation or book drive in our monthly newsletter, RIF RAP. You can send pictures and a few sentences about the drive or your donations to your RIF of NOVA contact. For children under 18, we must have a parental consent form for each child in the picture. A teacher, scout leader or other qualified adult can sign the form for the group if they have checked the school opt out list or consulted with parents of children in the picture. For book drives, you can use the information on our website in your publicity. www.rifnova.org. You may also adapt our sample poster or make your own.