As we approach the end of the year, we are happy to announce that we have surpassed our 2020 fundraising goal to provide 50 scholarships to girls in Vietnam through global education non-profit Room to Read. We had set a goal of $20,000, and with your support, we exceeded this target and have fundraised and donated a total of $30,077.
We were also able to take advantage of a matching campaign during this month’s Giving Tuesday. Through Room to Read’s generous match partners, our contribution was tripled to $90,231, enabling us to provide even more girls with life-changing education.
Since 2013, we have partnered with Room to Read’s Vancouver Chapter to donate a portion of our profits to benefit childhood literacy and education. For every discount that we receive from a vendor or customer, we match this with an equal donation. Including this year’s funds, we have now contributed over $210,000. This is before any donation matching, which we make sure to take advantage of every year.
Room to Read is changing the lives of millions of children in low-income communities by focusing on literacy and gender equality in education. Despite the pandemic closing schools in many areas this year, they continued reaching children in their programs by adopting new ways of delivering education. This included launching a digital library, broadcasting through radio and TV, distributing print materials, expanding their book supply chains and providing phone mentorship to girls.
Thank you to all our vendors, customers and supporters who helped us to achieve this result—we couldn’t have done it without you. This contribution is helping girls to stay in school and bridge the gender gap in education. Please keep your eyes out for news on how we will be supporting Room to Read in the new year. We hope that you will join us.