South Tampa mother's book drive helps collect 6,000 books for low-income Hillsborough students

A book drive organized by a South Tampa mother ended up collecting thousands of books for lower-income Hillsborough County students, and book deliveries began Wednesday.

Students at Edison Elementary School were among the first who were able to take two free books home thanks, in large part, to Haylie Katz, who planned a book drive at Gorrie Elementary, where her kids go to school.

"I thought, you know, it'd be really incredible if we could do a book drive at my children's school, which is Gorrie Elementary," Katz said.

READ: Sarasota Police Department gives high school students surprise gift

Katz partnered with Bess the Book Bus, whose founder, Jennifer Frances, has been delivering books to less fortunate students for more than 20 years.

The goal was to collect 800 books, enough to supply kids at one school with two books apiece. The Gorrie community ended up donating 6,000 books.

"I was blown away. And I kept thinking how proud I was of the students at Gorrie, because I think the message was getting back to them of how important it is to give back," Katz said as she and her sons helped deliver the books at Edison. "I got emotional just reading the books with them, because it touches my heart that just as simple as sitting down with a child and reading to them can make their day and just seeing their smile. They wanted to give me a hug, and they thanked me for reading with them. That's all it's really about is just seeing a smile and bringing them happiness."

Frances said she'll be able to deliver to 10 lower-income schools because of this book drive.

MORE: Students put skills to the test in Hillsborough's Science Olympics

"A lot of students don't have access to books in their home. Some kids' parents are super busy. There's a lot going on. The books are very expensive, so it's hard to have books to take home and own forever. So that's what we're trying to provide," Frances said, adding donations also help provide students with a variety of books from which they can select. "One of the limiting factors is which books can we get access to, how many can we get access to and the funding to supply those books, so that is a big help."

Frances, whose organization has delivered more than 1 million books in the last 21 years, said the books collected at Gorrie will likely last for the rest of the school year and into the summer.

For more information about Bess the Book Bus, visit bessthebookbus.org.