Bess the Book Bus helps to close the literacy gap created by poverty by building home libraries and excitement for reading in over 25 states across the USA each year. We visit Head Starts, schools, after-school programs and community centers where we read aloud to our kids and give them the opportunity to choose their own new books. We build home libraries and a love for reading in our most underserved communities by making the joy of book ownership a reality for our kids. Bess the Book Bus volunteers and board members envision our hometown of Tampa Bay as one where all of our children have access to the basic resources they need to be successful in school and later in life.

Education , Libraries , Literacy , Primary & Elementary Schools , Remedial Reading & Encouragement , Special Education

Bess' partnership with CITGO Fueling Good allowed us to bring the joy of reading to 48,000 kids in 22 states across the USA in 2019. Bess worked with Altrusa International of Tampa Bay, the Spurlino Foundation, Wells Fargo, The Community Foundation of Tampa Bay, Pinellas Community Foundation, Pi Beta Phi, ELC and Mahaffey Theatre to give over 35,000 new books to 28,000 deserving students in Tampa Bay.

Bess the Book Bus is building home libraries and a love for reading across the USA.

Bess travels into schools and community centers in underserved neighborhoods across the USA conducting read-alouds and letting our children choose new books to take home and keep. Bess partners with school districts, Head Start facilities, homeless and domestic violence shelters, and community action groups with the mission of elevating and inspiring the imagination of children while giving them access to book ownership.