Ingram Content Group Urging Support for Booksellers through Binc’s Year-end Fundraising Campaign

As 2020 comes to a close, the Book Industry Charitable (Binc) Foundation is foregrounding the needs of booksellers and comics retailers. Ingram Content Group is matching up to $15,000 total donated dollars, doubling the power and impact of individual donations through December 31, 2020. This match is one of several ways Ingram is working to help independent booksellers during these times.

Since the onset of the pandemic, Binc has provided life-sustaining financial assistance to more than 600 bookseller and comics retailer families, helping with medical bills, helping to provide housing during wildfire evacuations out west, helping to pay unexpected funeral expenses, and helping with a wide range of emergencies that can derail people’s lives.

“This year has been very challenging for booksellers. Binc has stepped in and played a crucial role in recent months helping the bookselling community navigate this extraordinary time of need,” said John Ingram, chairman of Ingram Content Group. “Quite frankly, there has never been such an important time for an organization like Binc, and Ingram is fully committed to helping them succeed. This match campaign is one of several ways we are looking at to support Binc. We hope it inspires others to give as well.”

Thanks to the generosity of donors throughout the book and comics communities, Binc has not had to turn away any qualified applicants, helping to keep store employees doing the job they love and helping to support bookstores and comics shops.

“We are so appreciative of Ingram Content Group’s support. As longstanding advocates of the foundation, their year-over-year support allowed us to be prepared to help the book and comics communities during this unprecedented year,” said Binc Executive Director Pamela French. “To every organization and person that has pitched in this year to meet the needs driven by COVID, natural disasters, and everyday emergencies, I send my gratitude and sincere thanks. We continue to be humbled and honored by the outpouring of generosity.”

The year-end campaign’s goal of raising $40,000 by December 31, 2020, will help Binc keep pace with the average of five to seven inquiries a week from booksellers and comic shop employees turning to the foundation for assistance. In the first 10 months of 2020, Binc helped more than 600 bookseller/comics retailer families, distributing more than $700,000. Comparatively, in the first 10 months of 2019, 88 grants were given totaling approximately $200,000.

One grantee recently wrote to the foundation after finding out they would be receiving a grant to assist with medical bills: “Despite having health insurance, the bills to the myriad doctors, hospitals, follow-up physicians, etc. piled up. I sent in an application to Binc, along with scans of all my bills, and I got an email saying that every bill had been paid. Just like that. I nearly wept with gratitude.”

Donate to Binc's year-end campaign here, or call Binc Director of Development Kathy Bartson at (734) 471-0201.

Consider joining the Bibliophiles Society: Donors with an annual gift of $500 (or $42/month) receive a number of special thank yous, including invitations to Binc’s events at Winter Institute and BookExpo, a special supporter ribbon for industry events, a copy of the Annual Gratitude Report, and two updates each year via conference call from French.

Booksellers in need of assistance are encouraged to take a look at the assistance page on the Binc website and to contact Binc directly at [email protected] or (866) 733-9064.