What People Say
“I wanted to tell you how amazing this project is.”
“Thank you so much for making spoonie life easier.”
“This really cheered me up when I needed it most.”
What is Chronic Readers Club?
Chronic Readers Club is a program for young chronic readers. We send care packages to people who are chronically ill and/or disabled that love to read. Each package contains a book from the recipient’s personal wishlist. Our goal is to provide comfort and support for those who are chronically ill and disabled, while simultaneously offering an escape into any world of their choosing through the magic of reading!
Who qualifies for a package?
Anyone who loves to read, is chronically ill and/or disabled and lives in the contiguous United States is eligible for a package! To be clear, any long-term illness or disability is included here! Mental illnesses are absolutely considered chronic illnesses and/or disabilities. Also, if you’re chronically ill but undiagnosed, you’re more than welcome to apply as well! We understand how difficult getting a diagnosis can be.
How does the program work?
First you complete the application on the homepage. From there, we take over! Each month we send out packages to at least two recipients. When we get to your application, you’ll receive an email letting you know that you’ll be getting your package that month. You’ll receive a second email once your package has shipped with the estimated delivery date and your tracking number. That’s all there is to it!
What does each package contain?
Every box is packed with goodies! Each chronic reader will receive one book from their personal wishlist, as well as a Chronic Readers Club bookmark, a “chronic reader” sticker, and so much more! The other items we send are tailored to each recipient’s likes and interests that they provide on their application. We do our best to send items you’ll love! Examples of things we’ve sent so far include: bookmarks, socks, stickers, pens, pencils, notebooks, stationary, coloring books, washi tape, lanyards, jewelry, face masks, hair ties, bath bombs, and more!
How accessible is the program?
Since Chronic Readers Club is designed to serve chronically ill and disabled people, we are constantly looking to improve our accessibility. We can always send an audio book or large print copy of a book for those that need or prefer those options, as long as you specify this on the application! We adhere to avoiding any allergies or sensitivities applicants list on their application, including things like sensitivities to strong scents or dyes. We include people with all sorts of illnesses or disabilities, including anyone with mental illnesses and people that don’t have a diagnosis. And if there are other issues with accessibility that you are concerned about, please don’t hesitate to contact Megan, either through email or social media, at any time!
Does applying for or receiving a package cost money?
No! There is no cost for applying for or for receiving a package.
Does everyone who applies receive a package?
As of now, yes! We are working our way through all the applicants and are not turning anyone away! We hope to continue this, but our ability to keep up depends on how many applicants we’re receiving and our funding.
When will I get my package?
Depending on how many applicants we’ve received, it may take a month or two for you to receive your package. Every applicant receives a package, so please be patient with us! Recipients will typically be informed that they’ll be receiving a package during the first week of the month. We try our best to get each package sent out before the end of the month. The actual shipping date for each package varies depending on how quickly we are able to acquire the book we’ve chosen from your wishlist. You’ll be notified as soon as your package has been shipped. Please take into consideration that the person who runs Chronic Readers Club is also chronically ill, so situations may come up that could temporarily delay shipping.
Will Chronic Readers Club ship internationally in the future?
We plan to! We hope that in the future we’ll be able to ship internationally (and to Alaska and Hawaii of course), and to send out more packages each month, possibly with more than one book for each recipient!
Are any books off-limits?
Books that are inappropriate in nature or that are extremely expensive are the only books that are off-limits!
Do I get to keep the book?
Yes! The book is yours forever!
Chronic Readers Club 