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Edward Becerra is on a mission to encourage children to read at an early age and keep reading. Becerra will tell you it is the key to success.
He is set on getting books in the hands of kids and their families, so he is spearheading an effort to give out free books Saturday, July 31, in the driveway of his home in Oceanside.
The “Great Summer Book Giveaway” is part of a program Becerra, 69, started, called Education Begins in the Home, which is under the umbrella of the Fallbrook-based nonprofit Empowering Latino Futures, formerly Latino Literacy Now, founded in 1997. The program has given out more than 150,000 books at over 500 local community events since it began in 2015.
San Diego County to boost Little Free Libraries in low-income areas latimes.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from latimes.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Residents who host Little Free Library boxes say demand for book sharing has gone up as people are stuck at home
According to the San Diego Council on Literacy, about 560,000 adults in the region read at an elementary school level or not at all. About 60 percent of low-income students in San Diego don’t have books at home.
“The reality is there are vast disparities,” said Supervisor Nora Vargas, who represents cities and neighborhoods in southern parts of the county. “Many communities’ children don’t have access to age-appropriate books at home, which causes them to fall behind.”
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Vargas brought the initiative to the board. She said it will address some disparities in disadvantaged communities by promoting and encouraging reading from home.
Board of Supervisors unanimously approves Little Libraries initiative
Little libraries are mailbox-like structures in communities to create neighborhood book exchanges where people can freely borrow or leave books for others to read.
Credit: County News Center Published: 6:35 AM PDT March 17, 2021 Updated: 6:35 AM PDT March 17, 2021
SAN DIEGO COUNTY, Calif. San Diego County’s Board of Supervisors voted unanimously Tuesday to create a “little libraries” initiative to boost literacy in low-income and communities of color by giving the people and children living in them more opportunities to have books to read in their homes.
Supervisor Nora Vargas, who brought the item to the Board for consideration, said the County library system has “been fantastic” in promoting and increasing literacy through its 33 branch libraries, digital and e-books, services and programs.
San Diego County Leaders Vote on Little Libraries Initiative – NBC 7 San Diego nbcsandiego.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from nbcsandiego.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.