Kids need to be able to read.

According to a recent report from The World Literacy Foundation, illiteracy can significantly impact a nation’s wealth, productivity, crime rates and access to further education and healthcare. The cost of illiteracy to Australia is over $18billion, which is roughly 2% of the country’s GDP.

The Dymocks Children’s Charities (DCC) is an Australia-wide, tax-deductible charity. Our mission is to support children’s literacy and to raise funds to improve the potential of all Australian children through the provision of literacy support programs and excellent books.

Our vision is to change kids’ lives – one book at a time!

Book Bonus is a brand new and very exciting online fundraiser that will help put heaps of brand new books into our schools. Book Bonus gives eager readers the chance to raise funds through sponsorship from family and friends for the books they are reading during the NSW Premier’s Reading Challenge (PRC)*.

DCC has worked with the lovely PRC team to develop this unique fundraiser where children are empowered to help other children across the state develop a love of reading. Book Bonus is endorsed by the Honourable Barry O’Farrell, NSW Premier and Patron of Book Bonus.

Well that’s the exciting part. DCC didn’t want this to be just another run-of-the-mill fundraiser that is more about ‘the ask’ than the return so we came up with a new way that means everyone is a winner.

All funds raised will be split between the school so they can buy loads of fantastic new books and DCC, who will use the funds to expand their literacy support program, Book Bank, in NSW priority schools. Participating in Book Bonus can help fund or indeed completely cover the cost of the books for next year’s Premier’s Reading Challenge. In a nutshell, the more a school raises the more books they will be able to buy for their school. Book Bonus has the potential to put thousands of new books into our schools, helping more children realise the lifelong benefits of reading.

So really, Book Bonus is all about ‘kids helping kids’!

DCC is a very proud partner of the National Year of Reading so it would be amazing if as many students as possible were to get involved with Book Bonus during this exciting year.

How can I help?

Parents, teachers and librarians can all have a part to play in ensuring every child in NSW has access to relevant reading materials so that they have a chance at a better future. DCC provide all the promotional materials you will need to get the word out to your kids about Book Bonus. How about mentioning Book Bonus during Storytime? Or asking junior members if they have heard about Book Bonus?

Through Book Bonus we want to show kids that a small contribution can go on to be a part of something much greater. If a student receives a $1 or $1,000 donation, each has its part to play in inspiring kids to read, just for fun!

I want to get involved!

Excellent! Students can register using their DET details via the PRC login page. Once parental permission is obtained they are ready to go. DCC provide all the online resources students need to securely send sponsorship requests and keep track of fundraising so there really is very little else to do other than keep on reading!

If you would like a Book Bonus pack, just contact the team using the details below and one will be sent out to you faster than you can say “I love books!”

I want to know more!

To find out more please check out the website, it’s chock-full of useful information for kids, teachers, librarians and parents!

Still have questions? Contact the friendly team:

T: 02 9224 0555 E: bookbonus@dymockschildrenscharities.org.au

* DCC plan to expand Book Bonus to other states in the near future. Please contact DCC for more information.

Miriam Taber is the Book Bonus Campaign Co-ordinator at Dymocks Children’s Charities. You can follow her on twitter here and read all about Dymocks Children’s Charities here.