Binc to Auction Piggy Banks Decorated by Notable Authors

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Bank on Booksellers piggy banks for auctionAuthors and illustrators are uniting to help booksellers across the country during the return of the Bank on Booksellers Piggy Bank Auction. The auction will take place online with nationwide bidding beginning on Sunday, September 9, and closing at 8:00 p.m. on Saturday, September 15.

In 2016, the team at Parnassus Books came together to create a unique way to support one of their fellow employees who had been diagnosed with a serious illness. The Parnassus employees used their connections to the book industry to recruit a host of celebrity piggy bank decorators for the first Bank on Booksellers. The proceeds were used to help booksellers across the country via the Book Industry Charitable (Binc) Foundation.

“Not every bookseller facing a serious medical situation can get a whole bunch of pigs together to help them out, but every bookseller has the Binc Foundation,” said Ann Patchett, Parnassus co-owner, Binc ambassador, and author.

This year, Binc is hoping to raise $25,000. “The response to the first Bank on Booksellers was stunning,” said Binc Executive Director Pam French. “We were overwhelmed at the support the auction received from the book industry, celebrities, and everyone who bid. We hope the 2018 Bank on Booksellers will be just as great an opportunity for the people who care about booksellers to show their love.”

Binc is seeking celebrities to decorate a piggy bank to be auctioned off. Those interested in decorating a pig or connecting Binc with someone who is should contact Kathy Bartson or Deb Leonard.

“We’ve had a number of generous authors and illustrators volunteer their time to decorate piggy banks, but there are plenty of mini-masterpieces left to be painted,” French said. “We’re hoping our friends at bookstores across the country will help us reach more pig-decorators.”

The current list of participating authors includes Katherine Applegate, Leigh Bardugo, Mac Barnett, Andrea Beaty, Anthony Doerr, John Grisham, Tom Lichtenheld, Grace Lin, Jason Reynolds, Jon Scieszka, Philip and Erin Stead, Emma Straub, Cheryl Strayed, and more.

The Book Industry Charitable Foundation provides assistance to bookstore employees who have a financial need arising from severe hardship and/or emergency circumstances. Since its inception in 1996, Binc has provided more than $6.5 million in financial assistance and scholarships to more than 7,300 families.