Take a look around your home – how many cookbooks do you have that you’ve barely used for years? Wouldn’t it be great to pass them on to someone who needed them, while simultaneously helping a great cause? Well, here’s the perfect opportunity. (If you donate a cookbook, you could get a prize, too! Read more below.)
RecipeChatter is hosting our first-ever Cookbook Drive! From May 4-29, we’ll be collecting cookbooks in order to donate them to WINGS Program, Inc.’s resale shops in the Chicagoland area.
Why should I donate my cookbooks?
Here are some fast facts:
- WINGS Program, Inc. is one of the largest domestic violence service and housing providers in the state of Illinois.
- Single women and women with children are able to receive temporary safe shelter through WINGS housing while staff provides one-on-one, individualized assistance that allows women to set personal goals that will enable them to work, continue their education, and care for themselves and their children.
- WINGS is 80 percent volunteer driven.
- In the fiscal year 2014, 203 women and 339 children received 63,415 nights of shelter through WINGS housing.
Robin Bergbreiter has been working with WINGS for over three years, and said it’s the most fun she’s ever had. “Everyone you help has had a worse day than you could ever imagine, so there’s that feel-good personal piece of helping someone,” she said. As director of resale operations, Bergbreiter runs three WINGS resale shops.
WINGS resale shops bring in almost one third of Wings’ $5 million annual budget, Bergbreiter said. “WINGS motto is ‘giving flight to hopes and dreams,’ and you have to have the funding and resources to provide that,” she said. “The resale stores are WINGS’ face to the community. For the protection of our clients, we don’t publicize the housing, so the resale stores are the signs you see on the street.”
Bergbreiter said the cookbooks from this drive can be placed in clients’ homes or sold to provide funding for WINGS’ services. “When you give us great stuff, we can do great things,” she said.
Sounds great! How can I help?
It’s so easy! All you need to do is mail us your gently-used or new cookbook. More than one is great! If you just want to send one, that’s great too.
We will be collecting them at our offices in Northbrook, IL. Please make sure they’re clean and not water-damaged or smoke-damaged.
Please have your cookbook delivered to:
Prime Publishing, LLC
Attn: Cookbook Drive
3400 Dundee Road, Suite 220
Northbrook, IL 60062
Please include your name, address, phone number and email address with your donation for contest entry. Cookbooks need to be postmarked no later than May 29, 2015.
If you’re shipping us cookbooks from within the United States, look into sending via Media Mail at your Post Office for a lower cost (as low as $2.69).
I
sent you a cookbook! Is that all?
Kudos to you! Doesn’t it feel great to do a good deed? But there’s one more thing: we’re also offering a prize for one lucky person who sent us a cookbook. Anyone who sends us a cookbook will automatically be entered to win a $50 Starbucks Gift Card! Good luck, and thanks for the cookbooks. 🙂
Are you ready to help? Tell us what cookbooks you sent!
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I’m sending a slow cooker cookbook!
That’s great, Sarah! Thank you!
Can I collect cook books now and send them after May 29?
Hello!
Books need to be postmarked by May 29. Anything you could send by then would be wonderful! Thank you!
sending you the 22 volume grand Diplomea cooking course (1980) plus 5 extension books and another 17 individual cookbooks should go a long way to helping the project may have to have some drop them off as the cooking course is heavy
Is it possible to just drop them off at a WINGS store in your name. It is hard for me to get around but I could have someone put a bunch in my car and then drive them over and have someone take them out of the car for me????
Hi Priscilla! We definitely encourage donating directly to WINGS. However, you won’t be eligible for the contest. Thanks and hope that works out!
I must have a gazillion cook books I could donate. But need a destination in the Chicago area ( I live in the midway airport area) where I can drop them off.
Moving, and that’s a great reason to purge!
Hi MaryAnn! We’re about an hour from Midway. But if you ever end up near Northbrook… 🙂 Also, you can get some flat rates with media mail shipping, if you want to send a handful!
I have many cookbooks, too many but I smoke. So does that mean I cannot send them to you??
Hi Patti,
As long as the books are clean/undamaged, send ’em in! 🙂
I have a lot of books. Is there an easier way for you to arrange pick up. Thanks.
Marie
1- FRESH FROM THE HEARTH 2- Grandma Jo’s Soup Kettle 3- Fast, Cheap, and Easy all three cookbooks are by Jo Anna M. Lund…..I just stumbled across this site and I think this is such a wonderful idea… It makes my heart happy knowing this can help someone who has gone through the same thing I have experience myself…..My heartfelt thanks to you all.!! will get my books ready and put them in mail today….Again Thank You…
Thank you Patricia! Looking forward to your package. 🙂
I have been receiving Taste of Home Magazines for years and have kept every one. Would those work for the donation. I don’t have the heart to throw them away they are so informative. I’m kind of a cookbook junkie.
Hi Jenn,
This time around, we’re just taking books. Thanks for asking!
I’ll be sending “The Lady & Sons, Too” Cookbook by Paula Deen – It’s got some really nice recipes.
Are there any places for drop off in Tulsa Oklahoma?c
Hi Carole,
We’re collecting them here in Illinois. You could look into sending them via Media Mail at your post office – it’s a much cheaper way of sending books. Thank you!
What a wonderful idea! Is there something similar happening in Canada????
Hi Susan,
I’m not sure about something similar happening in Canada – thanks for the kind words!
Thanks to my mother-in-law, my collection of cookbooks tripled. I’ve been enjoying them but I’m sure there are a few I can send for someone else to enjoy too.
Hi Theresa,
That would be so kind! 🙂
I have some many cookbooks and have been begging people to take them. I love in Ohio but I will send them out. I am going to suggest this to our shelter here. I was a victim of domestic violence and this is a way I can pay it forward.
Hi Mary,
That’s wonderful, thank you!
Great Idea! I have some cook books I would love to pass on to someone who would use them. I’m so glad I stumbled onto this. I noticed a reply to someone else about them having to be books. I assume that means hardback only? I’ll get them mailed to you because I live in Kansas.
Hi Jeannie,
Paperbacks are fine too! Just no cooking magazines, please. 🙂 Thank you!
Will be dropping off a bunch at the Niles store, in the next week. Don’t worry about the prize entry. I don’t drink coffee, and don’t care for Starbucks! LOL! It’s for a good cause, and I can get rid of them to a new home!
What if the cookbook is actually an antique? Could you get the antique value or just regular used cookbook value?
Hi Kay,
If you donate an antique, please include a note so that WINGS will be aware. Thank you!
What a fabulous thing! I have a couple books I would love to donate and will send out before the deadline. And a chance to win a Starbucks gift card, it’s a win win situation!
I have tons of cookbooks that I would like to donate. I am getting married in January and I have to make room in my small condo. I just found this post and I dont think I will have time to get them there by the deadline with Media mail. Can I go ahead and send them? While It is a nice bonus, I am more comcerned about you getting the books than I am the starbucks card. Please let me know if you could use them if they dont arrive by the end of May. Thank you
Hi Laura,
They just have to be postmarked by May 29 – they don’t have to arrive here by then. As long as you can send ’em by next Friday, it’s all good! 🙂 Thanks for your consideration.
Ok. I just shipped two huge boxes full via media mail. Expected delivery is June 1. Tracking numbers 9549011065245146351443 and 9549011065245146351979
I know the date has passed but will you still accept cookbooks?
Hi Andrea,
Sorry, we can’t accept any more books. We’ll have an update post very soon! 🙂