Growing Together

Growing Together

Building Something That Can Last

The Community Story Shelf Initiative was created to be simple enough for one community to begin, yet flexible enough to grow wherever people believe stories can strengthen the places they call home.

Every participating Community Story Shelf becomes part of something larger while remaining uniquely its own.

No two communities are expected to look alike.

That has always been the goal.

Every community brings its own people, traditions, history, culture, landscapes, creativity, and stories.

Growing Together simply provides a framework that allows those stories to be discovered, celebrated, and shared.

Participation

Communities may choose to participate in the way that best reflects their circumstances.

Participation may include businesses, schools, libraries, museums, visitor information centres, municipalities, community organizations, volunteers, authors, artists, photographers, historians, and local residents.

Some communities may begin with a single Community Story Shelf.

Others may eventually create several throughout their community.

Every participating shelf becomes part of the growing Community Story Shelf network.

Community Story Shelf Recognition

Communities with approved participation receive recognition through the What if We Chose Love Instead?™ Initiative.

Participation recognizes communities that have chosen to invest in local stories, local creators, and community connection.

Recognition is intended to celebrate participation—not competition.

Every participating community helps strengthen the initiative for everyone.

Community Listings

Each participating Community Story Shelf receives its own page within the initiative.

These pages celebrate the community by sharing photographs, stories, participating locations, local creators, and the people helping bring each shelf to life.

As communities grow, their pages can grow with them.

No two pages need to look exactly alike.

Each becomes part of a living collection of communities choosing to tell their own stories.

Keeping Information Current

To help visitors rely on the information they find, participating Community Story Shelves are periodically contacted to confirm that their shelf remains active.

Communities may simply confirm that nothing has changed.

If they wish to update photographs, participating locations, descriptions, links, or community information, annual renewal options help keep listings current.

Should a Community Story Shelf no longer participate, its contribution remains part of the initiative's history while its listing may simply indicate that information is no longer current.

Because every participating community helped build the initiative.

Accessibility

Every community is different.

Some may have abundant resources.

Others may rely almost entirely on volunteers.

To encourage participation wherever possible, communities may choose standard participation or apply for reduced-cost participation through the initiative's sliding-scale program.

The goal is to remove unnecessary barriers while maintaining a sustainable initiative that can continue growing.

Directed Giving

Some individuals, businesses, sponsors, and organizations may wish to support a particular community.

Whenever practical, contributions may be directed toward a specific:

• community

• school

• library

• organization

• project

• Community Story Shelf

If no direction is provided, contributions become part of the Community Growth Fund, helping expand the initiative wherever resources are most needed.

Community Growth Fund

The Community Growth Fund exists to help new communities begin, support existing communities as opportunities arise, and encourage continued growth of the initiative.

As resources become available, funding may assist with Community Story Shelves, promotional materials, educational resources, community projects, or other opportunities that strengthen local participation.

Every investment helps another story find its way into another community.

Transparency

As the initiative grows, we believe communities should understand how it continues to develop.

Future reporting may include:

• participating communities

• new Community Story Shelves

• community partnerships

• completed projects

• stories shared

• volunteer participation

• growth supported through the Community Growth Fund

Growth is measured not simply by numbers, but by relationships built.

Participation Options

Every community is different, and participation has been designed to remain as simple and accessible as possible.

Complete participation options, current Community Story Shelf Packages, Community Story Update services, sponsorship opportunities, and other resources are available on our Participation & Resources page.

Looking Ahead

No one knows exactly what this initiative will become.

That has always been part of its story.

Each participating community will shape the next chapter through its own ideas, partnerships, traditions, creativity, and experiences.

The Community Story Shelf Initiative belongs to every community that chooses to help write it.

And together...

we continue asking one simple question.

What if We Chose Love Instead?™