FORT PIERCE, Fla. Scott Van Duzer, owner of Big Apple Pizza, is working to connect children with free books mailed to their homes while renovating part of his restaurant into a reading room. He wants to expand access to books for children, especially those from low-income families.
Van Duzer has been involved with Read To Succeed, which he said has distributed 40,000 books over three years. He is now promoting New Worlds Reading as a way to get books to children more quickly. Van Duzer said signing up takes less than five minutes and children receive nine free books a year through fifth grade.
Amy York and her son Tripp read together using books he receives through New Worlds Reading. York described the program as a partnership with the University of Florida and Scholastic. “Well, it's awesome because they ship the books right to your house,” York said.
The reading room renovation is another part of Van Duzer’s effort to help children improve their reading. He emphasized the importance of giving children access to books early and keeping books in their homes. “It's just essential that we get books in kids' hands earlier and to have them in the home,” he said.