(cache) Bellingham Books To Prisoners

Bellingham Books To Prisoners is an all-volunteer, Washington State non-profit group that sends free books to prisoners throughout the U.S. We are an affiliate of the Seattle Books To Prisoners (www.bookstoprisoners.net). Letters from prisoners are sent to Seattle, then forwarded to us. We are responsible for getting donated books, finding volunteers, and raising money for postage and supplies. Last year, Seattle BTP, along with chapters in Portland, Olympia, and Bellingham answered a combined 14,900 letters. BellinghamBTP sent out over 10,000 books.

To get a sense of the importance of every package, and how we touch the lives of so many people around the country, watch this short video. We need your time and donations to answer letters like these and pay the postage to send books out to those who simply want something positive to look forward to. (more…)

Volunteer Your Time

We meet every Monday from 6-9 p.m. to read letters from prisoners, pick books that most closely match their request, and prepare packages for mailing. Our work space is at 228 E. Champion Street, suite 105 - the entrance is on the basement level, off the alley facing the WTA ...(more...)

We Have Found a New Home

Thanks to Saratoga Commercial Real Estate, and the other owners of the Fussner Building, we have a new space to call home at 228 E. Champion Street, Suite 105 - on the corner of E. Champion and State streets. We are on the ground floor, entrance is from the alley. With ...(more...)

Money for Postage

Bellingham BTP has seen a huge surge in production the last few years due to increased community awareness of our program, leading to many great new volunteers. We prepare over two hundred packages per month now, sometimes over three hundred. This means that fund raising efforts are critical - as ...(more...)

Donate Books

Have some books to donate? You can help a prisoner by donating new or used books to BTP. We also can arrange pick up if needed - email us for info. Our library is at 228 E. Champion Street, Suite 105 - you can bring books by for donation on Mondays ...(more...)

5th Annual Multifaith Alternative Holiday Market

We will be participating in the Multifaith Alternative Holiday market again this year. The date is Saturday, November 17, from 10 am-1 pm at the Assumption Church gymnasium, 2116 Cornwall Avenue. Please come out and support us and help us raise some badly needed funds. Hope to see you there!

Garlic Braids Available

Get a 13 bulb, organically grown garlic braid with the donation of $25. It’s a food, it’s a spice, it’s medicine – grown by BTP volunteers. While supplies last – email us to order, or for more information.

Book Sale!

This Saturday, July 14, from 8-3 we will be in front of the Farmers Market on Railroad Ave. We have a large selection of books with many new titles since our last sale. Come on down and stock up on summer reading material. All money earned goes toward postage costs – we hope to see you there.

Rummage Sale!

We will be having a rummage sale on Saturday, June 2, at 2310 E Street – hours are 8 am to 3 pm. There will be literally thousands of books for sale, as well as a wide selection of household items and other miscellaneous good stuff. Come check it out, find a great deal, and help us meet our considerable postage bills.

If you have items to donate for the sale, please bring them by our workspace, or contact us to arrange for pick up.

We Need A New Home!

After nearly three years behind Rocket Donuts kitchen, BTP needs to vacate ASAP to accommodate expansion of their business. We sincerely thank Rocket Donuts for their generosity in providing us with such a wonderful working space. We will certainly miss the friendly employees, and the wonderful smells!

Ideally we are seeking a donated space (or very low rent) of 800-1000 square feet, with heat and light, ability to lock up, access to a restroom, and daytime as well as evening access. Due to the logistics of moving tens of thousands of books, along with associated shelving and infrastructure, we would like to have the space available for at least a year.

Bellingham BTP is a 501 (c) 3 organization, so the commercial value of the donated space could be declared as a tax deduction. If you have any ideas or suggestions, please contact us.

Community Co-op Shopping Day

We are pleased to announce that the Community Food Co-op has selected BTP to be one of the organizations involved in their community shopping day program.

On Saturday, January 21 we will be tabling at both store locations in an effort to increase public awareness of our organization. 2% of total sales from both stores will be donated to BTP for that day, so please save your shopping for Saturday, January 21, and come out and support BTP.

We would like to sincerely thank the Community Food Co-op for this outstanding fund raising opportunity.

Whatcom Give-A-Thon

Come join us at the 3rd annual Whatcom Give-a thon on Friday, December 2 between 1:00 and 7:00 p.m. at the former Value Village building at 3990 Meridian Street.

We will be having a book sale, as well as various other goodies, and a raffle of course. Many local charities will be on hand – come find a great deal on holiday gifts and help out some worthy causes.

giveathon.wordpress.com

November 2011 Fund Raisers

Multi-Faith Alternative Holiday Market

Please join us Sunday, November 20 from 1-4 p.m. at the Church of the Assumption, 2116 Cornwall Ave

Numerous charities and nonprofits will be on hand. A great opportunity to find holiday gifts while putting your money to a constructive use.

https://sites.google.com/site/multifaithmarket/

———————————————————————————————————–

Introducing the late night library series at the Bellingham Alternative Library:

Books to Prisoners benefit during Late Night Library.

The Bellingham Alternative Library is holding two benefits for Books to Prisoners in November. November is Angela Davis Month according to the BAL’s featured revolutionary program. Angela Davis is a living revolutionary who continues to educate about, and fight to end, the prison-industrial-complex. She will not be attending, but many of her essays and footage from her talks will be featured at the library. While the library will have handmade BTP merchandise on sale all month, the main fundraisers will take place as “late night libraries.” On the 11th and 25th (2nd and 4th Fridays) of November the BAL will be open an additional 3 hours, from 7-10pm. Admission is $3-$5, sliding scale. All proceeds go to Bellingham BTP.

The prison-industrial-complex Davis speaks of is a term used to desribe the rapid expansion of the US inmate population due to the political influence of private prison companies and businesses that supply goods and services to government prison agencies. Businesses have a hand in incarceration, thus lobbyist and PR agents have a say when a community is considering different routes to mitigate social issues. The building of a new prison is often the only measure put forth.

Help us celebrate Angela Davis, spread the word on the Prison-Industrial-Complex, and bring more crucial postage money to Books to Prisoners.

The Bellingham Alternative Library, located at 717 North Forest shares its 3,000 books with the public every day from 2 to 7pm. It will be featuring revolutionaries Audre Lorde in December, and Emma Goldman in January.

Sidewalk Sale!

Bellingham Books to Prisoners will be having a sidewalk sale on Saturday, June 25th from 10-5 on the corner of Bay and Holly streets downtown.

We will be selling a large selection of books, most for $1 or less, plus many other items including clothing, household goods, tools, sporting goods, etc. We will also have baked goods and other foods, as well as live music – so come on down and find yourself a great deal, and help support BTP. 100% of proceeds will go to covering the cost of postage to send books to prisoners.

Garage Sale!

We are having a garage sale to benefit BTP on Saturday, April 16.

Address is 2839 Cedarwood Avenue (corner of Cedarwood and Pinewood), hours are 9:00 am – 2:00 pm

Come find a great deal and help us raise badly needed funds! If you would like to donate items for the sale, send us an email and we will arrange it. I hope to see you there.

Dhamma Brothers Screening

Come join us Friday, March 25th @ 7:00 pm, at the Red Cedar Dharma Hall (1021 N Forest St.) for a screening of The Dhamma Brothers.

This is a very powerful film illustrating the positive effects of meditation upon a group of prisoners in an Alabama maximum security prison. The film provides a gritty look at prison life and politics, as well as a wonderful message of hope and humanity. Check out the trailer at www.dhammabrothers.com.

Please bring your friends and family – we need your support! Suggested donation $5.

Give-A-Thon

This year we’ve been invited to participate in a new fundraising activity in Bellingham. Since our other fundraiser, the Alternative Holiday Market, was effectively snowed out this year, we’re very excited to be part of the Whatcom County Association of Realtors 2nd Annual Give-a-Thon. http://giveathon.wordpress.com

Friday, December 10, from noon to 8:00 p.m.
O’Donnell’s Bellingham Flea Market, 1522 Cornwall Avenue

There will be music, coffee, cookies, and a silent auction, as well as displays from 40+ local non-profits. Bellingham Books To Prisoners will be there, selling notecards featuring prisoner art, special donated gift books, and raffle tickets for a charming gingerbread house.

We also have certificates to let you donate money for postage in someone else’s name (it really is a wonderful gift or stocking stuffer). $3 sends a package of books to a prisoner; over and over we get letters telling us that the simple act of getting books makes a huge impact in the lives of prisoners, as the books are passed from hand to hand.

Please stop this Friday — and bring your friends!

THIRD ANNUAL MULTI-FAITH HOLIDAY MARKET

** Sunday November 21, 1 – 4 p.m. **
Bloedel-Donovan Park

This wonderful event is unlike any holiday bazaar you’ve ever gone to! It’s sponsored by Catholics, Protestants, Buddhists, Muslims, and Unitarians and features tables from 24 non-profit groups in Bellingham. There are raffles and free-trade chocolate and coffee and t-shirts and handmade items and much, much more — and every penny goes to a local non-profit. Live music, brewed coffee and goodies, ways to help the Alternative Humane Society, Whatcom Marine Mammal Stranding Network, Womencare Shelter, Bread for the World, Engineers Without Borders … and, of course Bellingham Books To Prisoners.

We’ll be there selling notecards and holiday cards featuring artwork from prisoners, special books for a present (or for yourself), t-shirts, raffle tickets and a wonderful card to tell someone that you’ve donated a gift in their name to help send books to prisoners.

Please come by the Bloedel-Donovan Community Building on November 21st and join us. It’s a special opportunity to see some of the great things being done by people in Bellingham, and to help out, a little or a lot.

https://sites.google.com/site/multifaithmarket

BENEFIT CONCERT 10/2!

Saturday, October 2nd, 7:00 pm – 10:00 pm

Chuckanut Brewery, 601 West Holly Street

The Librarians
Lovage
Peadar Macmahon

$5 suggested donation at the door.
All ages welcome, beer available for 21+.

All proceeds go to Bellingham Books To Prisoners! We are a local non-profit organization that sends free books on request to prisoners in state and federal prisons throughout the country. Volunteers send donated books to support literacy, a love of reading, and increased knowledge and self-improvement for incarcerated men and women.

Questions? Email us at info@bellinghambtp.org

Bellingham Books To Prisoners