Penguin Random House Promises $15,000 Match

Ann Arbor—The Book Industry Charitable (Binc) Foundation is kicking off its annual year-end campaign on November 30 — Small Business Saturday. Penguin Random House is partnering with Binc on their year-end fundraising campaign this year. The publisher will be generously matching all donations and will give $1.00 for every social media post on Instagram and Twitter using hashtag #BookstoresAreHolidays, up to $15,000, doubling the power and impact of individual donations now through December 31, 2019

A total of $30,000 raised between today and the end of the year will help 13 booksellers and their families through economic hardship. The Foundation has already assisted nearly 90 booksellers and their families in 2019 and has seen a 38% increase in approved grants compared to 2018.

The Foundation continues to receive calls and emails from booksellers impacted by the wildfires and power outages in California and every week all year long assists booksellers recovering from personal financial hardships like a cancer diagnosis, dental needs, mental health and recovery, and natural disasters.

Jaci Updike, President, Sales, Penguin Random House said, “Our hearts go out to those booksellers whose lives have been upended by local natural disasters or personal illness, so it is a privilege for us to align with the Binc Foundation to raise funds to support our retail partners in need. We urge our colleagues and our community to join together in giving all we can toward making a real impact in the lives of people we care about.”

One grantee recently wrote to the Foundation after finding out they would be receiving a grant saying, “It’s kind of life-altering to me. I can’t even describe the full-body physical response I had upon getting this news. I have been SO STRESSED OUT. Now I can put some money in the bank, pay my cell phone bill, get the prescription glasses I’ve needed for over a year . . . I don’t even know how to quantify my relief and gratitude.” On average, it takes $2300 to stabilize a household, relieve huge amounts of stress and worry, and get a bookseller back on their feet so they can continue doing the job they love.

As was recently announced in their 2019 survey results, the Foundation reported that 1 in 5 booksellers has experienced a financial emergency in the last two years. The need for assistance is high in our community and continues to grow.

Executive Director Pamela French said, “We are incredibly grateful to our supporters, especially Penguin Random House, who are choosing to strengthen the bookselling community this year and every year. The good news is that more booksellers are coming to Binc than ever before, but this also means the Foundation needs industry support more than ever before.”

Binc would like to thank all of our industry partners for their continued support during this year of record-breaking need. We value these partnerships because you allow Binc to continue helping booksellers.

Those who would like to give support to booksellers have a new opportunity to join the Bibliophiles Society giving level with an annual gift of $500 (or $42/month). You will receive invitations to Binc’s events at Winter Institute and BookExpo, a special supporter ribbon for industry events, a copy of the Annual Gratitude Report, and two updates each year via conference call from Binc’s Executive Director, Pam French.

If your company would like to support Binc click here or call Director of Development Kathy Bartson at 734-471-0201

If you would like to donate to Binc’s year-end campaign, click here.