Educational Programs

During the early years of Brother’s Brother Foundation, Mrs. Gussie Hingson, wife of BBF Founder Dr. Robert Hingson, would often accompany her husband on his medical mission trips overseas. In 1961, during one of these mission trips, Mrs. Hingson met Victoria Tolbert, the wife of former Vice President William R. Tolbert of Liberia. During this visit, it became apparent to Mrs. Hingson that countries such as Liberia lack adequate educational material in many if not all of their schools; and it was a result of this conversation that BBF’s Education Program was formed. One year later, in 1962, BBF’s first collection of 100,000 community-donated school texts was sent to Liberia.

Since that time, BBF has continued in Mrs. Hingson’s footsteps and has shipped over 96 million books to 112 countries all over the world. A large portion of these donations are made through partnership with US book publishing companies, Pearson Education and McGraw Hill Education. By collaborating with international and domestic partner organizations, BBF is able to effectively distribute these books and educational materials to communities, schools, and students who truly need them.

Brother’s Brother Foundation currently works with many organizations to send container shipments to various locations internationally. BBF requests that the costs of container shipments are borne by the recipient, however we may be able to offset the costs of shipping on a case-by-case basis. If you would like to request a container shipment, please view requirements below.

The requesting recipient must notify BBF of the material resources needed in the particular country. This document should be prepared by professionals and/or beneficiary participants with the knowledge of the needs in the country. In addition, complete and submit the Aid Request Form.

The following must be provided to BBF:

- A statement indicating that the donated goods will be distributed at no cost to the ultimate recipient.
- Documentation identifying the sponsoring organization’s and recipient’s charitable status such as 501(c)(3) certification or non-governmental organization (NGO) in the United States.
- Certificate of registration from overseas partner agency.
- An official document from the recipient country’s government stating the organization or institution has duty-free status for the goods being shipped (imported). Please submit any background literature, brochures, annual reports and other information describing the organizations involved.
It may be the responsibility of the recipient/sponsoring organization to cover the costs associated with the shipment (in-land and ocean transportation and BBF program service fee).
If the material being requested by the recipient country will be used within a national and/or community development plan, BBF requires a copy of this plan that outlines the distribution process, duration of plan and evaluation process of the effectiveness.
Documentation stating that there are warehouse or storage facilities available for the shipment must be provided.
Recipients must provide complete consignee information, including a contact person, address, telephone and fax numbers and email address. The consignee must be capable of clearing the container through customs and providing appropriate logistical in-country support.
Once distributed, the recipient organization is required to provide BBF with distribution reports and other documentation such as photographs, newspaper articles and letters supporting the effort by appropriate officials and professionals.

The recipient is required to confirm its request for material selected from the BBF provided inventory list in writing. The list provided will include relative information such as product description, quantities on hand, dating information and any distribution restrictions.

General Information

Name Of Your Organization

Today's Date

Contact Person For Your Organization & Their Position

Address Of Your Organization

City

State/Province

Zip/Postal

Country

Phone Number

Fax Number

Email Address

Website/URL

Legal Status Of Your Organization

Is Your Organization A U.S. Registered Non-Profit?

If So, What Is Your EIN?

Is Your Organization A Non-Profit Registered In The Recipient Country?

Has Your Organization Collaborated With The Ministry of Education or Ministry of Commerce/Trade In The Past?

Have They Worked With Any Government Ministry?

Will Your Organization Be Partnering Or Working With Either Ministry In Targeting Your Beneficiary Community?

What Organizations Related To Education Has Your Institution Worked With In The Past?

Please list all collaborations within the past five years and what materials were sent to you.

How Did You Hear About Brother's Brother Foundation?

Please Give Us Your Mission Statement

Please List The Countries That Your Are Currently Active Within

Is Your Organization Associated With A Religious, Social, Or Cultural Association?

This question will not impact eligibility of the application, and is only for reporting purposes.

Please Provide Some Historical Information About Your Organization

Name Of Contact Responsible For Providing Distribution Reports, Needs Assessments, Impact Statements, Statistics & Photos To BBF

Contact Address

City

State/Province

Zip/Postal

Country

Contact Phone Number

Contact Email Address

Shipments

Cosignee: This is the organization which appears on official shipping documents as the recipient of the container. In some cases, the Cosignee is the education and/or community institution which will utilize the donated education supplies. In other cases, it is a charitable organization which will receive the container and give the donated supplies to a local education institution. The cosignee's primary job is to clear the containers through customs.

Name Of Organization

Shipping Address (EXACTLY As It Appears On Official Shipping Documents)

City

State/Province

Zip/Postal

Country

Is This The Institution That Will USE The Donated Supplies?

Comments

What Is The Cosignee's Previous Experience With Clearing Containers? When Was The Last Time A Container Was Cleared?

Shipments

Notify Party: This is the person to whom official shipping documents will be mailed via ground courier. This person will use the shipping documents to remove the container from the port.

Notify Party Name

Notify Party Organization

Email Address

Work Phone

Mobile Phone

Fax Number

Notify Party Address

City

State/Province

Zip/Postal

Country

Comments

Brother's Brother Foundation Ships The Container To The Largest Ocean Port Or Largest City Nearest To The Cosignee. What Is The Ocean Port Or Largest City Where You Wish The Container To Be Sent? *

Please note that the cosignee is responsible for transporting the container from the port or largest city to the institution where the supplies will be used.

BBF Requires The Cosignees To Obtain Written Permission For Duty-Free Imports From The Appropriate Government Agency Prior To Shipment Of The Container. Do You Currently Have Permission For Duty-Free Import?

Comments

What Laws Does Your Country Have Regarding Importation of Donated Education Supplies?

Refurbished equipment may not be imported.

All items must be inspected prior to shipping.

Cosignee must obtain pre-approval of duty-free import prior to loading.

Other

Please check all that apply. Additionally, please send copies of laws and regulations check-marked below.

If Other, Please Describe

Education Institution Contact Information

Fill out the next section only if institution is different from cosignee.

Name Of Institution, Program Or Community

Address

City

State/Province

Zip/Postal

Country

Phone Number

Fax Number

Website/URL

Contact Person At Institution

Contact Person Title

Contact Person Email Address

Education Institution General Information

Please Describe The School(s), Institution(s), Library, Community Center, etc. Which Will Use The Donated Education Supplies

How Many Facilities Will Utilize The Items Sent In This Shipment?

Please List All Facility Names & Number Of Teachers Per Facility

What Type Of Area Is This Institution/Community Located In?

How Is This Institution Funded?

If Other, Please Describe

What Is The Approximate Annual Budget?

Please include in what currency budget is allocated in.

Total Number Of People With Access To Resources Per Month

Total Number Of People With Access To Resources Per Year

Total Number Of People With Access To Resources Aged 0-13

Total Number Of People With Access To Resources Aged 14-18

Total Number Of People With Access To Resources Aged 19+

Describe The Community That Your Organization Serves

Please include primary and/or secondary school attendance rates, data on poverty or conflict, and other relevant information as necessary.

What Are The Biggest Problems Your School/Community Is Facing?

Are Emergency Situations (i.e. Natural Disasters, Conflict) A Frequent Occurrence In Your Area?

What Are Your Educational Goals For The Near Future?

How Are The Requested Supplies An Improvement Over What Your Institution Already Has? If Your Organization Has Supplies, In What Condition Are They In?

Examples of supplies include: books, student desks, chairs, etc.

Are There Any Other Issues That Have Not Been Previously Mentioned? Is BBF Able To Help With These Other Issues?

Technical Specifications

Desired Quantity Of Pallet Donations

Desired Quantity Of Container Donations

Desired Quantity Of Box Donations

List Any Limits On Weight Of Equipment?

What Electrical Voltage Is Used?

Is There Running Water Available?

Is There Stable Electrical Current?

Is There Internet Access?

If Yes, What Is Your Connection Speed?

What Education Supplies Are Provided At This Institution?

Types Of Materials For Desired Donation

Please include amount and age/reading level of students.

Teacher Resources

Examples include: assessment materials, teaching manuals, etc.

Library Books

Student Readers

Technology Resources

Student Desks & Chairs

Please Indicate The Number of Staff At This Institution

Reporting

Brother’s Brother Foundation relies on feedback from partners to build our program activities and donation services. Feedback is a critical part of what we do and how we improve as an organization. It allows us to assist beneficiaries more effectively, and to identify gaps and areas of need in our interventions. In turn, this means better-supported communities in the countries where we work due to a bolstered ability for us to help organizations such as yours. Finally, it helps us secure financial support.

With this is mind, we ask that you please consent to completion of the feedback form, to be filled approximately three months following the container’s arrival. Please note that a failure to send back the feedback survey may exclude the recipient organization from receiving future shipments.

By submitting this application, you are granting BBF permission to visit and review the facility to which the product is shipped, and any facilities to which donated medical products have been distributed.

I Agree To The Above Terms

Who Will Be Responsible For Completing The Feedback Survey?

Email Address Of Person Responsible For Completing Feedback Survey

reCAPTCHA

Education Program Statistics

Program Timeline

1961 – Program formed by Gussie Hingson at the suggestion of Victoria Tolbert, wife of William R. Tolbert Vice President of Liberia.

1962 – First collection of 100,000 school texts sent to Liberia, West Africa at the expense of the U.S. government by special order of President John F. Kennedy.

1962 – 1980 – Collected and distributed almost 1,000,000 requested texts to students in Liberia, Turkey, Ghana, etc. (over 90% provided by school districts).

1981 – 2000 – Distributed over 43,000,000 school books to students in 70 countries
(over 90 % of texts provided by publishers).

2001 – 2016 – Distributed over 56,523,500 requested texts to students in 95 countries
(over 90% of texts provided by publishers).

Countries Served

Total number of books distributed 1960-2017: 100,545,555.
Estimated value of books distributed: $3,484,860,543.
Weight of books distributed: 54,170 tons.
In Total: 25,000,000 students served in over 50,000 schools and libraries.

Represented In The Following Countries:

Top Recipient Countries

Distribution by Region

Make A Monetary Contribution

Our mission helps people, young and old, worldwide. However, BBF relies entirely upon the generosity and philanthropic nature of people like you who take it upon themselves to seek out ways to help those in need and make a difference in the lives of others. Your cash donation will allow us to pay shipping costs for containers of goods that will be sent to those in need.

Donate Now

Frequently Asked
Donation Questions

All donations must be pre-approved and meet our guidelines to make sure your donations are accepted.

Donations We Accept

Pharmaceuticals and supplies from manufacturers
Over-the-counter medication (expiration must be over a year away)
Short-dated pharmaceuticals from manufacturers*
Short-dated medical supplies*
Hospital beds and equipment from facilities
Walkers, canes, crutches, bedside commodes, shower chairs, etc.
Wheelchairs, non-electric preferable

*Twelve months or more remaining until expiration.

Donations We Cannot Accept

Items that have not been completely sanitized and cleaned
Expired items or items that will expire in less than six months (unless specifically requested by the recipient organization)
Prescriptions that have been issued to an individual
Most high-tech equipment (call to be sure)
Equipment in need of repair

For more information, please email mail@brothersbrother.org or call 412-321-3160.

All donations must be pre-approved and meet our guidelines to make sure your donations are accepted.

Donations We Accept

Used books in excellent condition
Library and fiction books in excellent condition
Textbooks, non-fiction books and reference materials with a copyright date less than 10 years old
New office and school supplies (i.e. paper, pens, pencils, etc.)

Donations We Cannot Accept

Textbooks, non-fiction books and reference materials with a copyright date older than 10 years
Damaged books
Religious materials
Journals
Magazines
Encyclopedias

For more information, please email us at education@brothersbrother.org or email 412-321-3160.

All donations must be pre-approved and meet our guidelines to make sure your donations are accepted.

Note: In disaster situations the following list of items may change to accommodate the needs of those affected.

Donations We Accept

New personal care/hygiene items (expiration must be at least one year away)
New over-the-counter medication (expiration must be at least one year away)

Donations We Cannot Accept

Used clothing
Food items

For more information, please email mail@brothersbrother.org or call 412-321-3160.

Make A Monetary Contribution

Donate Now

Frequently Asked
Donation Questions

All donations must be pre-approved and meet our guidelines to make sure your donations are accepted.

Donations We Accept

Pharmaceuticals and supplies from manufacturers
Over-the-counter medication (expiration must be over a year away)
Short-dated pharmaceuticals from manufacturers*
Short-dated medical supplies*
Hospital beds and equipment from facilities
Walkers, canes, crutches, bedside commodes, shower chairs, etc.
Wheelchairs, non-electric preferable

*Twelve months or more remaining until expiration.

Donations We Cannot Accept

Items that have not been completely sanitized and cleaned
Expired items or items that will expire in less than six months (unless specifically requested by the recipient organization)
Prescriptions that have been issued to an individual
Most high-tech equipment (call to be sure)
Equipment in need of repair

For more information, please email mail@brothersbrother.org or call 412-321-3160.

All donations must be pre-approved and meet our guidelines to make sure your donations are accepted.

Donations We Accept

Used books in excellent condition
Library and fiction books in excellent condition
Textbooks, non-fiction books and reference materials with a copyright date less than 10 years old
New office and school supplies (i.e. paper, pens, pencils, etc.)

Donations We Cannot Accept

Textbooks, non-fiction books and reference materials with a copyright date older than 10 years
Damaged books
Religious materials
Journals
Magazines
Encyclopedias

For more information, please email us at education@brothersbrother.org or email 412-321-3160.

All donations must be pre-approved and meet our guidelines to make sure your donations are accepted.

Note: In disaster situations the following list of items may change to accommodate the needs of those affected.

Donations We Accept

New personal care/hygiene items (expiration must be at least one year away)
New over-the-counter medication (expiration must be at least one year away)

Donations We Cannot Accept

Used clothing
Food items

For more information, please email mail@brothersbrother.org or call 412-321-3160.

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contact us

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Whether you're interested in making a donation, want to participate in a medical trip or have a question, our team is here for you! For answers and additional information about Brother's Brother Foundation, please fill out the form on the right and a member of our team will respond to your inquiry shortly.

1200 Galveston Ave.
Pittsburgh, PA 15233
412-321-3160

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Educational Programs

Educational Programs

Education Program Statistics

Education Program Statistics

Program Timeline

Countries Served

Top Recipient Countries

Distribution by Region

Make A Monetary Contribution

Frequently AskedDonation Questions

Make A Monetary Contribution

Frequently AskedDonation Questions

get in touchcontact us

learn more & book afree consultation

learn more & book afree consultation

get in touchcontact us

Frequently Asked
Donation Questions

Frequently Asked
Donation Questions

get in touch
contact us

learn more & book a
free consultation

learn more & book a
free consultation

get in touch
contact us