Write to Read BC sponsors enable communities to develop and install libraries and their learning centres. A learning centre is the part of a library that offers remote attendance to online courses and conferences.
Our sponsors help Write to Read BC with:
- Fundraising.
- Books.
- Storage, and spaces to work.
- Wood, library shelving, furniture.
- Library buildings.
- Transportation by land.
- Transportation by sea.
- Digital equipment and infrastructure.
- Community connections.
Fundraising
Installing one library in an isolated BC community can cost $30,000 to $50,000. Write to Read sponsors raise the necessary funding.
Rotary International and its many Rotary Clubs throughout BC support Write to Read BC projects. They raise funds for structural necessities, and ask publishers for books.
Individual Rotary Clubs are listed with each of the libraries they sponsored.
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What’s more, Rotary Club members also help get their library set up by assembling shelving and unpacking books alongside the library response team.
The Rotary Club of Steveston-Richmond issues tax receipts for donations to the Write to Read BC project. Additionally, this Rotary Club also administers the project funds.
Success By 6 provided resources for libraries at Fort Rupert and Oweekeno.
This organisation focuses on early childhood development. It builds community by engaging people in building child-and family friendly communities. They also fund programs for literacy, nutrition, child care, children’s play, parenting and family skills development, and culture.
Success By 6 partners with United Way, Credit Unions of BC, the BC’s Ministry of Children and Family Development (MCFD). It also involves Indigenous and community leaders.
Books
Write to Read BC sponsors often fund books, but one in particular stands out.
Goodminds Books provides and donates First Nations, Métis, and Inuit books that are “bound to impress” to Write to Read BC libraries.
GoodMinds.com, a First Nation family-owned business, has traditions of community philanthropy and exceptional customer service. Over 20 years, GoodMinds.com has maintained a passion for First Nations, Métis, and Inuit authorship and education. GoodMinds.com is based in Brantford Ontario on the Six Nations of the Grand River.
Storage, and spaces to work
U-Lock Storage‘s South Surrey facility provides free storage for the mountain of books that Write to Read BC volunteers process. Starting with one unit, U-lock has now generously provides free rental for 5 storage units in South Surrey and 2 units in Nanaimo.
Write to Read BC uses the U-Lock Nanaimo lockers as its distribution centre. This is also where Write to Read BC stores the furniture built by Nanaimo Correctional Centre.
Wood, library shelving, and furniture
Windsor Plywood Foundation enables Write to Read BC to supply Nanaimo Correctional Centre with materials to build custom library shelves. Write to Read BC buys these materials from Windsor Plywood at cost.
Individual Windsor Plywood stores also funded Write to Read BC construction costs.
Nanaimo Correctional Centre‘s Indigenous inmates donate their time and skills to manufacture furniture for new libraries.
The furniture is architecturally inspired by traditional Coast Salish plank houses. In addition, each of the furniture designs support a strong connection to the natural environment.
Library buildings
Britco Structures (now Boxx Modular) helped delivered the first library. It was a modular trailer donated by Rotarian David Taft of the Langley South club. At the time, Taft was a president of Britco. Britco then donated a second, third, and fourth trailer. All in all they donated 14 modular buildings from their inventory wherever they could find them.
The company, now known as Boxx Modular, has been sub-divided and is no longer active with Write to Read BC but deserves full thanks.
Camera Buildings – John McFarlane of Camera Buildings donated a portable studio. That studio became a library in Metlakatla. The company makes small buildings that are excellent spaces for studios, offices, and occasionally libraries.
In the community, the portable studio was nicknamed The Hobbit House because of its compact size. Its compact size is one of the attributes that makes the Hobbit House useful. In short, it’s easier to find a central spot to place it.
Transportation by land
Bandstra Trucking delivers books and shelves to isolated Write to Read BC libraries. This freight company leverages its strength to provide us free trucking.
As Northern BC’s premium carrier, Bandstra offers comprehensive transportation and logistics solutions for Western Canada, and across North America.
Transportation by sea
BC Ferries offered its fleet of ferries along the BC coast, to ship materials and modular buildings. This not only helps us move modular buildings and furniture, it frees funds that Write to Read BC invests into more libraries.
With 25 routes, BC Ferries is one of the largest ferry operators in the world. It moves more than 60,000 customers and 23,000 vehicles throughout coastal BC every day. Its mission: To connect communities and customers to people and places important in their lives.
The Canadian Coast Guard provides transportation for team members of the Write to Read BC project to coastal communities that are only accessible by boat.
As Write to Read BC moves forward to install libraries, the Canadian Coast Guard is integral to the delivery of teams and materials.
The Coast Guard provides a Search and Rescue response to marine incidents within the Victoria Search and Rescue Region.
Enterprise Car and Truck Rentals provides transportation for Write to Read BC at cost.
Enterprise’s vehicles are ideal for Write to Read BC’s project-based activities. The customer service includes free pick-up and 24-hour roadside assistance.
Pathways to Technology project supported Write to Read BC with grants, so the team can travel to isolated communities.
The project is managed by All Nations Trust Company. Pathways to Technology brings affordable high-speed Internet to all 203 First Nations in BC. This will ensure First Nation people can connect with the world, no matter where they live. This works hand and hand with Write to Read BC. As a result we are able to identify those communities suited to video conferencing.
Digital equipment and infrastructure
TELUS Corporation is essential to Write to Read BC’s success in installing learning centres in libraries. Learning centres offer remote attendance to online courses and conferences. Obviously this depends on high-speed Internet connections and fibre optic wiring supplied by TELUS. In addition, TELUS also supplies grants to communities that need assistance to connect to the Internet.
TELUS also funded the production of Wai Wah!, a documentary film about the history of Write to Read BC.
Softchoice, a company owned by Write to Read BC team member Brian van Sickle, provided computers and tablets for many libraries. Not only can students learn computer skills by using these devices. Libraries can also use these devices to offer remote attendance to courses and conferences in their learning centres.
Every day, thousands of organizations rely on Softchoice to provide insight and expertise that speeds the adoption of technology while managing risk and cost.
Community connections
Government House Foundation previously administered Write to Read BC project donations. In the early days of installing libraries across BC, the foundation also covered some of the project costs.
Also, former lieutenant-governor of BC Steven Point was instrumental in getting the first project started. It started, of course, with gifts of books to Write to Read BC. Former lieutenant-governor of BC Judith Guichon continued this support. Most important for media coverage, both lieutenants-governor attended opening ceremonies from 2007 to 2018. This also signalled to the community the relative importance of their new library.
The RCMP or Royal Canadian Mounted Police assist Write to Read BC in a variety of ways. They act as a go-between in initial introductions between various parties.
Since each library needs a champion to get the ball rolling. When a community liaison identifies potential project leaders to Write to Read BC, it’s quite helpful. Sometimes, that liaison is an RCMP officer.
Officers also assisted lieutenants-governor of BC on their visits to First Nation communities.
Interested in sponsoring?
Join the Write to Read BC sponsors. Please donate to help indigenous communities design, construct, and install the library they want.
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