Implementation Suggestions
1. Communicate about Terrific Tales:
Communicate the Terrific Tales initiative to your employees. Consider using banners, posters, and reminder emails. You could also plan a kick-off event to celebrate and familiarize your employees with the initiative. You may wish to focus on the 10 Characteristics of Socially Responsible Employers and how Terrific Tales contributes to your company's goal to be recognized as a caring and responsible organization. Work with your employees to identify local schools that need classroom libraries.
2. Identify Books:
Distribute a list of the Terrific Tales books your company has decided to collect. Your company may choose to collect books, raise money, or do both.
If you plan to collect books and deliver them to the school yourself:
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If you plan to raise money and have Center for Companies That Care select and purchase the books on your behalf:
See examples of past fundraising activities
Once you have raised your money, make your donation. |
3. Distribute:
Choose how your company will distribute the books once they are purchased and collected. Your company may send the books directly to the school, ask the school to pick up the books, or deliver them personally. In the past, participants have found it very rewarding to personally deliver the books. If your company chooses to personally deliver the books, you may decide to include a celebration for the students. In the past companies have brought in storytellers to provide entertainment, held small assemblies, or thrown a party for students, which included a focus on literacy. Contact Center for Companies That Care if you would like to get in touch with The Storybook Mom, a storytelling resource.
4. Acknowledge:
Acknowledge the employees who participate in Terrific Tales. If you're interested in media attention, alert the press.
5. Finish Up:
At the end of the collection period (recommended to be two weeks from kick-off), organize the books into classroom libraries.Insert the bookplates into each book if your company has chosen to personalize the books.Count the books and measure the collection against pre-set goals and register your results with Center for Companies that Care.Distribute the books to the selected schools, as planned. Consider building an ongoing relationship with the school(s) your company has just supported. How will you continue to demonstrate your commitment to the educational needs of less-advantaged schools?