Bess the Book Bus Wraps Up 2013 Michigan Road Trip

May 31, 2013 /3BL Media/ - During the week of May 26^th, Bess the Book Bus made its way back to Michigan, with support from CITGO. Bess made stops at Harvest Elementary, Heritage Elementary and Pleasant Ridge Elementary in Saline, where more than 1,100 students were invited to pick out their very own new book to take home. This year’s visit also included read-aloud sessions for students in kindergarten through third grade at each of the three schools. 

“Michigan is such a special state for us,” Jennifer Frances, founder of Bess the Book Bus, said. “There is so much enthusiasm, excitement and talent in these schools. It’s absolutely magical to see all of those things come alive through our books. We are deeply grateful to all of the teachers who helped us organize these in-school events, and we’re so appreciative for CITGO, who connected us to the schools and made it possible for Bess to make the trip out here.”

This week’s events marked Bess the Book Bus’ first visit to the Detroit area since The Eight Mile Boulevard Association (8MBA), a Detroit-based community improvement organization, and CITGO helped Frances connect with Mercedes-Benz in 2012. The introduction led to the very generous donation of a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter van, which enabled Frances to continue her nationwide tour of schools, community centers and after-school programs. So far, Frances has logged 30,000 miles in the new vehicle, giving away more than 70,000 books.

“During our time in Detroit, we were so aware of the generosity and thoughtfulness of our friends at Eight Mile Boulevard, CITGO and Mercedes, all of whom really made this year’s tour possible,” Frances said. “It was such a joy to drive the brand new Bess the Book Bus through Detroit, and we want to say thank you to everyone who kept Bess rolling! This year’s tour would not have been possible without these partnerships. We can’t wait to come back to Detroit next year, and we’re looking forward to making an even bigger impact on the lives of these children in 2014.”

Founded in 2002, Bess the Book Bus’ mission is to promote literacy and provide underserved children with access to new and engaging books. Frances has grown the program into one of the nation’s most innovative mobile literacy initiatives. Each year, she and her network of volunteers take Bess the Book Bus directly to underserved communities to read to children and provide what, for many youngsters, is their first new book. Through support from CITGO and other corporate sponsors, Bess the Book Bus has covered more than 48 states, supported more than 60,000 families, and donated more than 450,000 books.