Request for Public Feedback - Reallocation of Donations

[Jzmackenzie]

If YOU directly donated to the Cajones Library Program, we need to hear from you. May we use your gift to rebuild a home after a devastating fire? We have records of 3 $20 USD gifts, one $50 USD and one $100 USD. A total of five people. The rest of the money we raised was the leftovers after costs for fundraising meals we have held.

Since early 2008, Tierra de Verano (Summerland) has been putting money in escrow from meal/fundraisers. Our goal was to build a library. We spent just under $20K to write, publish, print, and market a book to also fund this educational effort. Although 4 national awards were won, less than 50 books have sold. Legally, at this point, we could take the $1,360 we have in escrow and pay down the debt for the efforts so far. However, we have been holding on hope for five years.

We recently learned that the land that had been "set aside" for a library is now on the market. Therefore, since this burned out family has four girls, three of whom have been taking English classes, art classes, and confidence-building classes from us, we feel that their devotion to education is right in line with our mission statement. One outright gift of $500 that was in escrow has already been approved to go to the home rebuilding. Will the other five donors please agree to do the same?

Photos of the house are attached. As the rebuilding progresses, we will keep the GTOlist updated.

Thank you all,

Don, Jacquie, & Jolene