These are our guiding principles:
- We keep a promise that 100% of consumer and business donations earmarked for literacy are used to get magazines and comics to at-risk readers via literacy programs. Operating costs are covered only by private donors and funds designated by donors.
- Our mission and projects are driven by the needs and requests of literacy programs serving at-risk readers. They are the literacy experts.
- Our reading materials and literacy services are provided at no cost to literacy programs, so we can create value for the programs already dedicated to eliminating illiteracy and poverty.
- We only provide magazines and comics to literacy organizations for delivery to the at-risk readers they serve, rather than directly to individuals.
- Following American Library Association guidelines, we accept and make available the donation of any and all children’s and consumer magazine and comic book titles. Literacy programs decide, and we respect and support what magazines and comics they would like to receive from our inventory to meet their literacy goals. We also follow community standards and common sense guidelines about what magazines to handle.
- We supply new and good quality recycled magazines and comics to literacy programs for readers. “Good” quality can be any age (even older magazines have significant literacy value), without cut. torn, or scribbled pages or covers, or moisture damage. To protect the privacy donors and the dignity of new readers, paper mailing labels are carefully removed and ink mailing labels are covered with a black permanent marker, with a clean opaque white 2×4 inch mailing label placed to neatly cover the spot.
