Did you know 800,000+ Tons of Books end up in the Dump Yearly? Neither did we...
My wife and I now Rescue and Rehome 4,000+ Landfill Destined Books Affordably to the Public Every Week
**5+ Ton Weekly Donation from 1 Amazon Seller Pictured Above (10,000+ lbs)**
A few months ago we had to turn down a Weekly Donation of 15-20 Tons from Just 1 Organization!
We currently Rehome 4,000 donated items weekly in our Obscure Warehouse Location, but having to turn that down was the point we decided we need to Go Bigger AND GO ONLINE with Shipping!
To do this we needed to:
Write Custom Inventory Software - Check!
Find a Bigger & More Visible Location - Check!
Put $40k Down to Hold the Building - Check!
30 Days to Raise the Buildout Money - the building will be held for 30 days for u to raise the money
Benefits of the New Location:
Rehoming & Shipping Online ($2 PB & $3 HC)
3x In-Store Shelving (currently 1 mile)
Full Community Lounge (Coffee/Tea Bar, 60 Seat Lounge, Stage, Covered Hammock Patio)
Communal Space for Book Clubs, Art Classes, Kids Field Trips, Non Profit Meetings, and More
Double Kids Books (20k currently - all $1 & Teachers get 50% Off for Classroom)
Kids STREAM Room (Science, Technology, Reading, Engineering, Art and Math)
Stage for Spoken Word and Music Nights
Support Artists with In-Store AND Online Sales of their Art
Donate More we donate 3,000ish books locally each month to children literature programs, ESL, and other Reading Centric Programs and could easily double that or more
How did we get here?
In January of '21 I met an Amazon Seller that Threw Away 5 Tons of Books Weekly and when I got home I asked my wife if we could rescue these books...to which she vehemently replied "We Must! How is that even a question?"
We held 3 Events in our driveway (800, 1200, and 2200 books) and we were able to Rehome most of them!
2 Months & 20 Custom Double Sided Bookshelves later we Took It To the Community
Biweekly we paired up with Local Businesses & brought 10k Books around Tampa Bay
A year later the Community pushed us to open a store (warehouse) and Volunteered Supplies, Shelving, and over 600 Hours to help us build out our current location:
**A Few of the Monthly Teacher Sponsees Pictured Above**
With 1+ Mile of Shelving - priced as follows:
$1 Kids
$1 Media (8 Track, Cassettes, VHS, DVDs, CDs, and Vinyl)
$1 Post Cards, Greeting Cards, Rescued Bookmarks
$1 Magazines
$2 Paperbacks
$3 Hardcovers
$5 Coffee Table and Vintage Books
$8 100yr old Antiquarian
$10 Autographed Books
$10 Easton Press / Franklin Library
Free Teacher Supplies donated by the Community
Teachers always receive 50% off for their classroom
Touring Band Members & Roadies Receive a Free Book or Movie
Kids get a Free Book on Sundays
10% Off to Help with Gas for those that drive from Out of County
Daily BOGOs on FB/IG
Daily Sales
Discounts Stackable Up to 30% Off
We Love Our Teachers
Teachers receive 50% off for their Classroom Books and we Sponsor a Teacher Each Month with $100 Cash & a Box of Books they Handpick themselves.
Zero Landfill Policy
We work with 35 Libraries, Schools, Multiple Amazon Sellers, Estate Sale Co., Junk Removal Co., Thrift Stores, and even other Used Bookstores to the tune of 3,000-15,000 Landfill Destined Books per week...and that doesn't even put a dent in the Tampa Bay Landfills.
This New Facility & Online Shipping will allow us to work with the 15+ Ton Weekly organizations and Truly be able to Make a Difference
We Upcycle / Repurpose / Properly Recycle (in that order of priority) any book that we can't rehome (damaged / 18th copy of a title we get often / etc). We were gifted a Hydraulic Guillotine & are the only ones in Central Florida that Properly Handle All Books.
We turn everything we can into Art & Craft Supplies (pages, spines, hardcovers) to give them New Life and Future Enjoyment by many.
Unfortunately sometimes that means doing so to a great copy book, which is the worst part of our job (even though w/o us they would be in the Landfill). When we Go Online and Extend Our Reach we will only have to do this to Damaged Books
How will the Money be Spent?
What we Need: $230,000 (buildout + normal credit card processing fees)
$217,000 - Buildout
$63,000 - Shelving, Displays, STREAM Kids Room
- 130 Custom Double Sided Bookshelves (increase shelving from 1 mile to 3 miles)
- 5 Custom Double Sided $1 Vinyl Displays (increase capacity from 1,000 to 4,000)
- Kids Section (increase shelving from 1,150' to 2,500'+)
- Tiered Stadium Storytime Seating
- Kids STREAM Room (Science Technology Reading Engineering Art and Math)
- $1 DVD Display (increase capacity from 4,000 to 8,000)
- $1 CD Display (increase capacity from 3,000 to 8,000)
- $1 VHS Display (increase capacity from 300 to 1,000)
- $1 Cassettes (increase capacity from 100 to 1,000)
$35,000 - Coffee / Tea Bar Equipment & Inventory
$23,000 - Signage
$20,000 - Comfy Seating, Tables, Hammocks
$20,000 - Computers & Hardware
$14,000 - Covered Hammock Patio
$13,000 - Audio Equipment
$11,000 - Grease Trap & Plumbing
$10,000 - Electrical
$8,000 - Forklift
$10-12k - Credit Card Processing Fees (4-6%)
If Our Mission is one You Support - Please Share and, if you can, we'd appreciate donation that wouldn't burden you.
Thank You Again from The Bottom of Our Hearts
Why GoFundMe Articles and URLs Appear on Our Website?
Why GoFundMe Articles and URLs Appear on Our Website and How We Support Other GoFundMe Campaigns
At LFEBridge Foundation, we are dedicated to creating a platform where individuals and organizations can maximize their fundraising efforts. As part of our commitment to supporting a wide range of causes, we incorporate articles and URLs from GoFundMe into our website. Here’s why you might see GoFundMe content on our site, how it benefits the fundraising community, and our relationship with GoFundMe:
1. Amplifying Reach for Fundraising Campaigns
Increased Visibility: By featuring GoFundMe articles and URLs on our platform, we help increase the visibility of various fundraising campaigns. This additional exposure can attract more donors and supporters, helping campaigns achieve their goals more quickly.
Cross-Promotional Opportunities: Highlighting campaigns from GoFundMe allows us to support a broader spectrum of causes and connect with a wider audience. This cross-promotion benefits both the campaign organizers and potential donors looking for causes to support.
2. Supporting Campaign Growth
Advertising and Promotion: We understand the importance of visibility in successful fundraising. By showcasing GoFundMe campaigns, we provide an advertising platform that helps these campaigns reach potential donors who might not have discovered them otherwise.
Strategic Partnerships: Collaborating with GoFundMe and featuring their campaigns on our site strengthens the fundraising ecosystem, ensuring that worthwhile causes receive the attention and support they deserve.
3. Expanding Donor Networks
Broader Donor Base: Featuring a variety of campaigns from different platforms helps diversify and expand the donor base. This means more people can learn about and contribute to a variety of causes, ultimately driving higher engagement and donations.
Enhanced Outreach: By integrating GoFundMe content, we help campaigns tap into new networks and communities, broadening their reach and potential impact.
How We Help Other GoFundMe Campaigns Grow
1. Featured Campaigns Section
Highlighting Noteworthy Campaigns: We have a dedicated section on our website where we feature noteworthy GoFundMe campaigns. This not only gives these campaigns a spotlight but also encourages visitors to explore and contribute to them.
Rotating Features: To ensure a diverse range of campaigns get visibility, we regularly rotate the featured campaigns. This continuous update keeps the content fresh and engaging for our audience.
2. Social Media Promotion
Sharing Across Platforms: We share selected GoFundMe campaigns on our social media channels to reach a broader audience. Our followers, in turn, can share these posts, amplifying the reach even further.
Engagement Strategies: Utilizing effective engagement strategies, such as storytelling and compelling visuals, we enhance the appeal of these campaigns, driving more traffic and donations.
3. Email Newsletters
Campaign Highlights: Our email newsletters often include highlights of impactful GoFundMe campaigns. By doing so, we bring these causes directly to the inboxes of our subscribers, encouraging more people to get involved and donate.
Donor Updates: We keep our donors informed about the progress and success of the campaigns they have supported, fostering a sense of community and continued engagement.
LFEBridge Foundation's Independence
It’s important to clarify that LFEBridge Foundation is an independent entity and is not part of or affiliated with GoFundMe. While we feature and support GoFundMe campaigns on our site, we operate as a separate foundation dedicated to collecting donations for various causes, similar to GoFundMe. Many of these causes are displayed on our website to provide donors with a wide range of options to support.
Conclusion
By featuring GoFundMe articles and URLs on our website, LFEBridge Foundation supports a wide array of fundraising campaigns, helping them gain the visibility and donations they need to succeed. Through our promotional efforts and strategic partnerships, we aim to create a robust and supportive environment for all fundraising initiatives.
For more information on how we support fundraising campaigns or to explore featured campaigns, visit https://LFEBridge.com or contact us at support@lfebridge.com.
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