A Bookseller's Story–Fleeing Fire
A bookseller had to hastily pack and leave their home to flee a rapidly moving wildfire. They were able to pack up some clothing, important documents, and medications, but very little else.
Fortunately, an available hotel room near the bookstore was found and Binc was able to help pay for their stay. Little did they know that their family of 2 adults, 2 kids, a dog and 3 birds would be there for the next 23 days!
When they were finally allowed to return to their (undamaged) home, they wrote - “I’m very grateful how fast Binc responded. Even though we were in an uncomfortable and stressful situation Binc made it possible for me to keep working and supporting my beloved bookstore without any interruption. I can proudly say I belong to a wonderful book community that makes us all feel like a big family with the main goal of helping each other."
|
|
Disaster Assistance: Help Us Spread the Word
Right now we're asking everyone in the industry to help us make sure that every bookseller and comic book retailer affected by the ongoing natural disasters knows about Binc.
For immediate disaster assistance, Binc may be able to help with personal expenses related to evacuation.
Booksellers and store owners can also ✆ call Binc and we can provide information over the phone 1-866-733-9064.
- If a displaced owner or employee needs financial assistance to move into a new or temporary residence and is unable to cover the associated expenses, the employee can apply for assistance.
- If an employee has lost more than 50% of their weekly work hours or pay due to the wildfires, hurricanes, and/or flooding and this is causing financial hardship, they qualify to apply.
- If a store is damaged and/or must close due to the wildfires, hurricanes, and/or flooding, Binc may be able to help with certain expenses to help a store reopen more quickly after the threat passes.
- Please take a look at the assistance page on our website. Or contact Binc directly at help@bincfoundation.org or866.733.9064.
The Binc staff continues to reach out to stores individually, but we need our book and comic community to help us reach everyone. Please pass this information along to any store owner you know in California, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Colorado, and any other state dealing with similar emergency situations. Encourage any store owner or employee in need to contact Binc.
|
|
|
Your tax-deductible gift will help those in the path of the wildfires who have lost their homes or been forced to evacuate.
|
|
Binc Fall Trade Show Office Hours
|
|
|
While we can't all be together in person at this year's Fall Trade Shows, you can still visit Binc staff and Board Members via Zoom. We'll be offering office hours every day next week from 10:45 am and 12:30 pm EST. We're ready to answer all your questions--or just to say hello.
|
|
💡 Upcoming Event Spotlight 💡
|
|
|
Wed Sep 23rd @ 8:30AM EST
Jennifer Haupt, editor of Alone Together: Love, Grief, and Comfort in the Time of COVID-19, will host a stellar panel of authors who contributed essays and poetry to this fundraising anthology for Binc, including: Richard Blanco, Susan Henderson, Ada Limón, Dawn Raffel, and Steve Yarbrough. Come share your story, too.
|
|
Program Update from Kit & Kate
|
|
Binc is nearly finished moving all of our financial assistance applications from the PDF format to an online format, including matching grants, store disaster assistance, individual disaster assistance, and regular financial assistance. In response to the pandemic, we created an online expedited application, recognizing that not everyone had access to a printer or programs that would allow them to fill out a PDF application.
Due to the success of this trial format and feedback we have received from a survey of grant recipients, we are now moving all of our applications online. When booksellers are evacuated from their homes during a wildfire or other emergency and don't have computer access, the entire application can be filled out and submitted easily from a smartphone.
At Binc, we are always striving to make our assistance process as painless as possible. We are always looking to make changes and improvements to our systems and processes that will make it easier for booksellers and comic retailers to get the assistance they need.
|
|
Thank you to Picture Book Summit for making Binc your 2020 Charity Partner!
Picture Book Summit is a world-class online conference for picture book writers and illustrators. With keynotes and workshops from bestselling, award-winning authors and illustrators, plus other learning and networking opportunities for aspiring picture book authors around the globe, all from the comfort of home, this is the one conference for children’s writers you don’t want to miss! This year, a portion of every ticket sold to this year's event will go to Binc.
|
|
💡 Products that Do Good 💡
|
|
We love our Out of Print face masks--and we're excited to see new designs coming soon!
Did you know a portion of proceeds from every mask sold goes to Binc so we can help booksellers? Stock up now so you have a full array of bookish masks for every occasion.
|
|
|
To Our Donors and Supporters, we have been the recipient of these messages, but they are yours.
|
|
|
|
“
I applied to Binc twice and what I receive exceeded by far my expectations. I can't thank or appreciate them enough.
|
|
|
|
“
I was blown away at how quickly and diligently they were reviewing and processing applications in the midst of all of this, and will remain forever grateful to Binc. Thanks again!
|
|
|
|
“
The assistance was mentally and physically invigorating during a dark time. A positive force for this world!
|
|
|
|
|
|
Available Assistance for Booksellers and Comic Retailers
Your community is here for you. If you are a bookstore employee, comic shop employee, or store owner who has been negatively impacted by COVID-19 through job loss, reduced work hours, slow store sales, or illness, Binc may be able to help.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
