Imagine: Toys for Everyone to Borrow!
A Community Resource Devoted to Play!
What we hope to do:
Finger Lakes Toy Library, Inc. exists to improve quality of life: by increasing access to toys, supporting play, and encouraging a culture of reuse and sharing.
FLTL was formed to operate a toy lending library that serves all area children without discrimination. To that end, FLTL is hoping to have enough fundraising success to offer membership free of charge, so that all may join without hesitation or limitation.
How the crowdfunding campaign will help:
We will use funds raised during this crowdfunding campaign for costs associated with startup and operation, and may go toward goals such as: purchasing toys, creating brochures, purchasing insurance, and securing a location.
If all goes well, we intend to open our doors by June 2017. Your donation will make our vision a reality.
“We need to show community support with a successful crowdfunding campaign when we apply for grants,” says President Debra Lewis. “So if all you have to spare is five dollars, please use it to cast your vote in favor of the creation of a toy library in Ithaca."
How it all began:
President Debra Lewis, a stay-at-home mom of a 2 year old named Theia, had the idea to open a toy library in Ithaca when her daughter was about 6 months old. It didn't take long into parenthood to realize how expensive toys were and to see how quickly they began to clutter the house. Keeping up with Theia's developmental leaps and providing her the variety and quality of toys needed to best stimulate brain growth quickly seemed impossible to achieve. A toy library could change all of that, and not just for Theia but for all area children.
By the time Theia turned one, Debra had committed to making her vision for the toy library a reality. Her belief that every child deserves the very best start in life motivated her. She gathered a few board members and they began meeting monthly in January 2016. After much hard work by all of the board members (most of Debra's share done while her daughter was napping or after she had gone to sleep for the night) the organization received a favorable determination in August 2016 from the IRS to become an official 501c3 nonprofit!
The board then turned their attentions toward networking and executing the fundraising plan, which brings us where we are today.
And now we need you.
For more information about the toy library please visit our website at:
www.fingerlakestoylibrary.org
If you prefer, checks can be sent to:
Finger Lakes Toy Library, Inc. PO Box 6769 Ithaca, NY, 14851
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