David C. Cook has gone public with a behind-the-scenes financial assistance program intended to help struggling bookstores stay in business.

The Colorado Springs, Colo.-based publisher is promoting its Debt Retirement initiative that helps Christian retailers behind in their bills pay down what they owe while continuing to service church accounts.

Though the aid has been offered quietly to stores for some years, Cook has decided to make the program known more widely for the first time because of the challenges so many stores are facing.

"We know with the economy a lot of CBA stores are struggling, and this is something that we believe can help them out so they can hang on until things get better," said Jana Zachman, director of asset management. "And we want them to know that their survival is integral to our long-term goals."

Limited to church curriculum, the Cook program offers to fulfill stores' church orders, sending the materials direct to the church and giving the store credit-on usual discount terms-on the order that pays down what the store owes. Cook promises not to sell directly to the churches involved and reverts to shipping orders to stores again, for them to deliver, once the debt is cleared.

The owner of one store, in Virginia, who has participated in the program for a year praised Cook for the idea: "It's wonderful. It shows that they are really concerned with the bookstores' struggle. It is a win-win situation for both sides."

Read the full report in the Dec. 7 issue of Christian Retailing.

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