Welcome!
 

to the NEW Fall/Winter “Pennies a Page” Fundraiser for Erik’s Chance!

This fundraiser is a great way for children of all ages to improve their reading skills while at the same time learning that their efforts can help give kids like Erik with MPS1 the chance for a better life. It is easy for any child who is interested to participate. Money raised will be used by the MPS1 Research Foundation to support the hard work of scientists and doctors finding new treatments for this tragic disease. Also, please remember that as a public, non-profit charity, 100% of the funds donated to the MPS1 Research Foundation are tax-deductible!

What Is “Pennies a Page”?

We all know that reading at home is very important. “Pennies a Page” is designed so that parents, relatives, and close family friends can all demonstrate to children that their reading can "make every page count " by sponsoring an amount to donate based on a pre-determined number of pennies for each page the child reads. 

You simply keep a log of the number of pages your child reads during the school year (something you are probably already doing for your school) and after February 5th, let your sponsors know how many total pages were read by your child. Sponsors can then either write a check or donate online using a credit card directly to the foundation on behalf of your child. All sponsors receive thank-you notes and tax receipts for their donations. All children who participate receive personalized thank-you notes and a “reading star” bracelet as a token of appreciation from Erik.

How Can We Participate?
 

It is easy. Children of any age are encouraged to participate and they can start AT ANY TIME. Parents can simply sponsor their own child or they can encourage other people, such as family members and close friends, to also sponsor their child. There are only three things parents need to do:

1. Sign-Up! 
 

Simply email the Program Coordinator, Jenny Nicholas (jenny@helpmps1.org) and let her know the name of the child or children that will be participating and your email address so we can add you to our contact list. It is also helpful if you could let Jenny know the names of any additional sponsors for your child. This will make it easier for us to send them a thank-you letter and donation receipt for tax purposes afterwards.

2. Keep a Reading Log:
 

Simply download and print the Pennies A Page Reading Log Form available HERE to keep track of the total pages read by your child each week. This Reading Log also includes instructions for following-up with your sponsors.

3. Submit Your Reading Log:
 

After February 5th, follow the instructions on the Reading Log for adding up the total number of pages read and the total amount raised by your child. Follow the instructions at the top of the form to fax your information back to the foundation and let each of your sponsors know the amount of their donation and how they can send in a check or make their donation online.

How Much Should Sponsors Expect to Contribute?

“Pennies a Page” is designed to be an inexpensive way to help children learn about giving and how they can make a difference in the lives of others. To give you an idea, based on the average reading speed for a 4th grade student, a child will read approximately 20 pages per night if they are reading for 30 minutes. If the child is reading four to five nights per week, that means sponsors who commit to one penny a page are donating only 80 cents to one dollar per week.

Obviously, donors can decide to sponsor children for amounts in excess of one penny a page and the number of pages read will vary up or down by age and ability level. The important thing is to get as many children and sponsors involved as possible since at the rate of one penny a page fifty students together can raise $700 in the 14 weeks of this fundraiser. However if each of these readers had 3 sponsors, or received three pennies a page, the total amount raised increases to $2,100!

Questions?

We encourage you to review the information about Erik's Chance and our foundation here on this Website with both your child and their sponsors so everyone understands how they are helping others by participating. If you have any additional questions about “Pennies a Page” please contact the volunteer in charge of this fundraiser, Jenny Nicholas. She can be reached at jenny@helpMPS1.org

Thank You So Much!