WHO WE ARE:
Green
Branch is an Oakland-based mobile children's library dedicated to social
justice and the environment. We provide books and other materials for young
people, and their families and educators in an exciting space where ideas are
shared.
We
have existed as a pop-up reading room for two summers, and are currently raising funds so we can buy a
bookmobile. We hope that by sharing our materials, we can support and cultivate a new generation of community leaders in the Bay Area.
Please
donate what you can to make this project a reality! We are a registered nonprofit organization, and all donations are tax-deductible. Green Branch is entirely volunteer-run.
OUR FUNDRAISING GOAL:
Every penny from this Indiegogo fundraiser will go towards purchasing a used vehicle, remodeling it, and funding its ongoing maintenance, insurance, and permit expenses. Our vision is an Airstream trailer, like the one below, towed by an environmentally-responsible truck. We hope to find a diesel truck that we can run with biodiesel. The ambitious goal of $28,500 includes all of these expenses. We estimate in this current market that a used trailer and truck will cost between $10,000-25,000. Staff, supplies, and programming expenses are estimated at $5000.
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Thus far we have been setting up a pop-up tent at local farmers' markets. A trailer would allow for much easier set-up, as well as a broader range to our outreach. Here
are some photos of us in action, sharing cool books with kids in Oakland and
Berkeley in our pop-up reading room.
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OUR MISSION:
Our books focus on many social justice and environmental issues that surely you care about too: immigrant life, anti-racism,
environmentalism, animal rights, activism, community engagement, feminism, LGBT
rights, civil liberties, globalization and global human rights, transportation
alternatives, the prison-industrial complex, capitalism, militarism, war and
peace studies…You've probably heard of The Lorax, And Tango Makes Two, Tar Beach, The Snowy Day, Ferdinand- all of these popular children's books touch upon themes that we love.
We want kids to engage with our books and become inspired to make positive changes in the world. We are working with community partners to reach out to schools, community centers, and libraries.
WHY WE NEED YOUR HELP:
Please donate to our project so we can help grow a new
generation of change-makers.
Our next big step is
transitioning from a pop-up tent to a super-accessible bookmobile. Our Radical
Reading Room pop-up model was a fantastic debut into the community, but the
bookmobile will allow us to reach many more children all over the Bay Area. At
the farmers' markets, we were unable to lend out our collection or offer
adequate space for workshops and campaign planning. Our vision is bigger than
that.
We have the books and
resources; we just need an efficient way to get out there and disseminate. The
bookmobile will let us have a consistent presence at multiple sites, including schools,
after-school programs, youth groups, libraries, and much more. We will be able
to set up a regular schedule with each site that will allow book-lending and
movement-building.
Our bookmobile will allow us
to fully actualize our mission of providing a dynamic space that takes the
traditional model of a public library and infuses it with new life for a new
generation of readers. It is a simple idea with a potentially major impact:
igniting in children an interest in books by providing culturally relevant
reading materials, strengthening leadership skills, and inspiring young activists
to engage in their communities.
Please support us today, and get an awesome perk and some great karma!