July 2007
Message from the Director
WW & AH - R.E.A.C.H. a child... is soon to be off and running as new contacts are being made daily with both corporate sponsors and first responders to crisis situations. We are in the process of putting together our first brochure for the non-profit as soon as the official logo for us is completed (any day now!). We will be contacting all of the Fortune 500 companies within the next two weeks that are listed in the latest Fortune Magazine to get a general consensus on their interest level in becoming involved with our program in its start up stage. All corporate sponsors will have a seal affixed to the back cover of every book distributed that they have helped fund. It will have a brief introductory statement (IE, We're thinking of you ... or Your Friends at...) along with their own company logo and a statement about their support for the efforts of the REACH a Child program.
We will soon be adding a "Volunteer Pilots" listing to the website so we can start collecting names and addresses of pilots around the country to help out with our efforts. At this time we believe that Frontier Airlines may become the main carrier for the book boxes from major terminal to major terminal (we are working on the details of this over the next several weeks). Likewise, we are hoping to team up with the Salvation Army to utilize their emergency shelter facilities that they erect on sites of a disaster area. They are welcoming the idea of children being given books to occupy some of their time as they are living in a temporary housing situation. The Red Cross will also, be assisting us in the distribution of children books once the major emergency is under control. They see us as a tertiary assistance (non critical help) and welcome the idea of children being given books from a donated general concern like ours.
Additionally, a mailing will be going out to approximately 500 Authors that are members of BEA, which is a national association of self-publishers, and authors from around the country. In the letter we will be asking for their support through donated books to be distributed to the children. We will be accepting literature geared from Children's Picture Books to adventure readings (IE. newborn to twelve year olds). We believe that this is the target age group we are trying to reach. We are in the process of getting all of our Non-Profit status recorded within the next month or two. However, once we are given a certain Registration number from the IRS we will be able to accept the charitable contributions, and those donating will be entitled to their tax-deductible contributions.
All and all, we have already come quite a distance since the fifth of June 2007 when the original idea was first written down on paper creating WW & AH - R.E.A.C.H. a Child program. I look forward to getting to know as many of you as possible as we move thru the early developmental stages of this new life changing adventure. And as our Mission Statement reads... our goal is to " Put a smile on the face of a child in the time of need!" As always, I welcome any news and ideas that you may have to help us become the best program we can be!
Respectfully,
Paul Scott Gilbertson
P.S. Your emails are much appreciated and your involvement means the world to a lot of children.
Executive Director
WW & AH - R.E.A.C.H. a Child
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