GIBSONTON, Fla. — Thanks to the generosity of the community, thousands of children now have a book of their own.
It was another successful year of ABC Action News' 'If You Give a Child a Book' campaign.
A partnership with Feeding Tampa Bay allowed the distribution of more than 5,000 books to 50 schools across the Tampa Bay area last year.
For the past three years, students at Gibsonton Elementary School have had the opportunity to receive a free book of their own.
8-year-old Killian Myers is one of them. His favorite read right now has to do with anything that slithers.
"Whenever I read, the best thing that I get to do is learn," Myers said.
Xavier Ruiz is a fan of Legos and said the more he reads, the more he learns.
"When I was like in first grade, it was hard for me to read, but I get better at it," Ruiz said,
Catherine Gilmore serves as the school's community school coordinator. She has worked at Gibsonton for nine years and has witnessed the joy the free books have created for the kids.
"For them, being able to have a book is outside of the scope of reality for many of them because there (aren't) funds for buying a book," Gilmore said. "They get to pick a book, and they're like, I have never picked a book before. Or this is my favorite character, and they have never read the book before because they have never had access to a book."
Gilmore said the need for books is always there. For more information on how to help, visit here.
