Jumpstart’s Read for the Record® Fundraising Drive
Frequently Asked Questions

Have a question about Jumpstart's Read for the Record Fundraising Drive? We have an answer!

What is Jumpstart’s Read for the Record?

Jumpstart's Read for the Record®, presented in partnership with the Pearson Foundation, is a campaign that brings together millions of Americans to celebrate literacy by breaking the world record for reading the same book on the same day. This year, October 4 is the official Read for the Record day. Your participation is symbolic of your support of Jumpstart’s mission: to work toward the day every child in America enters school prepared to succeed.

What is Jumpstart’s Read for the Record Fundraising Drive?

Jumpstart’s Read for the Record fundraising drive is an added opportunity to participate in the campaign. In addition to pledging to read, you can help raise funds for Jumpstart and its mission by creating or supporting an online fundraising team. Similar to fundraising for a walk or 5K run where the action is typically a physical activity to support a cause, the symbolic action/culmination of fundraising for Jumpstart will be reading Ladybug Girl and the Bug Squad by David Soman and Jacky Davis on October 4, 2012.  Learn more at jstart.org/fundraise.

When does Jumpstart’s Read for the Record fundraising drive start and end?

The fundraising drive began on August 1, 2012 and will culminate with the act of reading to children on October 4, 2012. All FirstGiving accounts will remain open until October 31, 2012 to give supporters a chance to collect outstanding donations.

How does the Read for the Record fundraising drive work?

Jumpstart’s Read for the Record fundraising drive will take place online at firstgiving.com/jumpstart. You can either create your own team by setting a fundraising goal and then asking your friends, family and colleagues to sponsor you or you can support an existing team by providing a donation. The fundraising drive will start on August 1 and will culminate with the act of reading to children on October 4, 2012.

How do I create my own fundraising team?

Creating your own fundraising team is easy! Since Jumpstart is a national organization, you can create your own team to support a Jumpstart location that matters most to you: The Jumpstart Network (wherever resources are needed most); Midwest; Tri State; Northeast; North Pacific; Southeast; Southern California; and Washington, DC.

To get started:

• Visit jstart.org/fundraise and select your preferred Jumpstart region for fundraising.
• You will then be directed to Jumpstart’s FirstGiving page. Click the “Fundraise” button at the top of the page.
• Create a FirstGiving account.
  NOTE: Once you create an account, you will receive a confirmation email detailing your log-in credentials.
• Create your personalized fundraising page.
• Start fundraising! Tell your friends, family, co-workers and everyone you know!

How do I support an existing fundraising team?

It’s pretty simple to donate in support of an existing team. To donate to a friend, colleague or family’s member team, please choose any of the following options:

• Visit the team leader’s customized fundraising page (your friend will most likely share his or her personalized fundraising page via email); or
• Go to jstart.org/fundraise and select the Jumpstart location your friend is fundraising in under the “support a team in your community.” You will then be directed to the  designated location page, where you can search for your friend’s team at the bottom of the page; or
• Go to firstgiving.com/jumpstart and select the team you prefer to support at the bottom of the page (ALL Jumpstart teams will be listed on this page).

Where do the funds go?

Jumpstart will allocate 100% of the funds raised to provide quality early education programs to the children who need it most. Every dollar raised will help children in low-income communities gain the critical language and literacy skills they need to be successful in school and beyond.

• $25 will supply a year’s worth of crayons and paper for one full classroom of children to learn to write their names
• $60 will deliver one complete set of Jumpstart curriculum books, each carefully chosen for its educational value
• $100 will give two full classrooms puzzles and song charts to bring their curriculum books to life
• $500 will offer training materials for Jumpstart Corps members to prepare them to serve in six full classrooms
• $1,200 will fund 20 complete sets of Jumpstart curriculum books
• $2,000 will provide one full school year of Jumpstart programs to one child

How can I get involved, right in my community?

No matter the region, city or neighborhood, Jumpstart is dedicated to making a difference. Since Jumpstart is a national organization, you can start or support a team in a Jumpstart location that matters most to you: The Jumpstart Network (wherever resources are needed most); Midwest; Tri State; Northeast; North Pacific; Southeast; Southern California; and Washington, DC. Visit jstart.org/fundraise to start or support a team in your preferred location.

How do I pledge to read?

Visit jstart.org/pledge to pledge to read on October 4^th.

How can I get more information about Jumpstart’s Read for the Record fundraising drive?

Visit jstart.org/fundraise or email us at rftr@jstart.org.