Community book bank wants to create opportunities for youth

LAKE BLUFF, Ill. (WLS) -- Bernie's Book Bank aims to empower children to explore new ideas, gain knowledge and strengthen reading skills.

More than 300,000 local children have been served annually at Title 1 schools and early childhood programs through Bernie's Book Bank.

This resource has distributed over 24 million free books since 2009 and plans to continue this mission as scholars succeeding is essential to its mission.

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Bernie's Book Bank has 1,200 distribution partners across six counties. It provides eight books per child annually from birth through sixth grade.

The total cost to source, process and distribute each book is $2.

Through Bernie's Book Bank, Chicagoland scholars will be given the opportunity to learn a variety of skills critical to academic and personal success.

ABC7 Chicago meteorologist Tracy Butler was at Shoreacres Golf Club in Lake Bluff to talk more about the program Monday.