The strategy and suggestions below provide ideas for implementing Terrific Tales at your organization. This is not intended to be prescriptive, but rather provide food for thought as you develop your own plan. There are only three requirements to participate in Terrific Tales:

• All books must be new
• Please let Center for Companies That Care know if you plan to participate so we can provide you the Terrific Tales book list, help identify less-advantaged schools, and track the impact of our collective efforts. You may register your plans through this website or contact Center for Companies That Care at 312-661-1010.
• Once we hear from you, you will receive the Terrific Tales book list, compiled by educators and school libraries to ensure diversity in the collection. All books should come from the Terrific Tales list.

Your company will be responsible for:

• Collecting new books from the Terrific Tales book list or collecting money in order to purchase books on behalf of your company from the Giving Store
• Distributing the books to local schools that need classroom libraries
• Sharing your results with Center for Companies That Care

Center for Companies That Care will:

• Provide the Terrific Tales book list
• Identify schools across the U.S. that need classroom libraries, and share that list with participating companies
• Offer planning guidance and support to individual companies
• Offer bookplates that can be customized with your company's logo, and bookmarks and other employee recognition promotional materials through the Giving Store
• Track and publicize nationwide results

Step-by-Step Suggestions

Planning

1. Make your initial plans and register them with Center for Companies That Care . (You may also register by calling Center for Companies That Care at 312-661-1010.) You will receive the Terrific Tales book list after notifying us of your plans. Center for Companies That Care will track the impact of this initiative this year and as we work over the next three years to achieve our goal. We can also consult with you on effective ways to participate in Terrific Tales and which schools in your area would benefit from your help. Be sure to indicate whether you would like media attention for this initiative.
2. Look at the Terrific Tales book list.
3. Finalize the goal for your organization - total number of books collected, total number of classroom libraries collected, and/or total dollars collected in order to purchase books. Be sure your goal is realistic given the size of your organization. For example, if you are a smaller organization, you might want to focus on only one classroom library or just a portion of a library. Perhaps you can join with other small employers to fill an entire classroom library. If you have an employee community involvement committee, include them in your goal setting.
4. Decide whether you want to include bookplates with your logo in the books you donate. You may purchase bookplates at the Giving Store.
5. Develop a marketing and PR plan if you want the public to know about your participation in Terrific Tales.
6. Encourage other companies to join you in supporting Terrific Tales.

Implementation

If you are planning to collect books and get them to the schools yourselves:

1. Communicate this initiative to your employees.
2. Distribute the Terrific Tales book list to your employees, or the portion of it that you have decided to collect.
3. Plan the book collection process. Be sure to think about: What will you use as a collection box? Where will the boxes be placed? How will employees in the field or remote locations get their books to you? Consider online ordering, with shipment direct to one person or site. If you are collecting for multiple libraries, decide how to separate the books into the various libraries - a collection box for each grade, or employees to separate the books into grade libraries after all the books are collected?
4. Plan the distribution process, once the books are collected. Decide: Will you ask the school to pick up the books, send the books directly, or deliver them personally to the school? Prior participants have found it incredibly rewarding to deliver the books to schools. Will you include a celebration for the students? Bring a storyteller to tell one of the stories to the students? (Contact Center for Center for Companies That Care at 312-661-1010 or caredays@companies-that-care.org if you'd like to contact The Storybook Mom, a storytelling resource.)
5. Promote the initiative within your company - consider using banners, posters, reminder emails. Plan a kick-off event.
6. Identify local schools that need classroom libraries and contact them. Contact Center for Companies That Care at 312-661-1010 or send an email to caredays@companies-that-care.org if you need help identifying schools that need books.
7. Plan an acknowledgement for employees who participate. Consider bookmarks, available through the Giving Store.
8. If you're interested in media attention, alert the press.
9. On Companies That Care Day, put out the collection boxes.
10. Hold the kick-off event, if part of your strategy. You may want to focus on several of the 10 Characteristics of Companies That Care.
11. Remind employees to bring in their books.

If you are planning to raise money and purchase books through Center for Companies That Care Giving Store:
1. Communicate this initiative to your employees.
2. Distribute the Terrific Tales book list to your employees, or the portion of it that you have decided to collect.
3. Plan activities to raise money throughout the month of CAREDAYS08. For example, employees could donate $2 each time they read to their child.
4. Once you have raised your money, buy the books you want online at Center for Companies That Care Giving Store. Decide: Will you want to help Center for Companies That Care distribute them personally to the school? Prior participants have found it incredibly rewarding to deliver the books to schools.
5. Promote the initiative within your company - consider using banners, posters, reminder emails. Plan a kick-off event.
6. Plan an acknowledgement for employees who participate. Consider bookmarks, available through the Giving Store.
7. If you're interested in media attention, alert the press.
8. On Companies That Care Day, put out the collection boxes.
9. Hold the kick-off event, if part of your strategy. You may want to focus on several of the 10 Characteristics of Companies That Care.
10. Remind employees to bring in their books.

Follow-up

1. At the end of the collection period (recommended to be two weeks from kick-off), organize the books into classroom libraries.
2. Insert bookplates into each book if part of the strategy.
3. Count the books and/or libraries collected.
4. Measure the collection against pre-set goals and register your results with Center for Companies That Care.
5. Distribute the books to the pre-selected schools as planned.
6. Consider building an ongoing relationship with the school(s) your company has just supported. In what ways will you continue to demonstrate your commitment to the educational needs of less-advantaged schools?