HOUSTON, March 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- In celebration of National Reading Month, CITGO Petroleum Corporation, along with its mobile literacy partner, Bess the Book Bus, is kicking off its second annual literacy campaign to share the excitement of reading with thousands of children in more than 100 schools and Children's Hospitals across the United States. From Feb. 26 to March 9, CITGO representatives, Miss America 2017-2018 State Titleholders and Bess the Book Bus will deliver brand new, free books to schools in 19 states, while special read-alouds for children will focus on the joy and importance of reading every day.
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Founded in 2002 by Jennifer Frances, whose grandmother Bess O'Keefe fueled a love of reading from a young age, Bess the Book Bus aims to bring that same love of reading to children everywhere. Since inception, and with support from sponsors like CITGO, Bess the Book Bus travels nationwide and has visited 48 states, reaching more than 300,000 children in underserved communities and donating more than 650,000 books.
"Together with CITGO, we are dedicated to instilling a passion for reading among thousands of students across the country," said Jenn Frances, founder of Bess the Book Bus. "Through the CITGO National Reading Month events, we are making a difference in the lives of children by allowing them to feel the pride and joy of book ownership, and I look forward to spreading this to other communities with the help of CITGO as the Book Bus continues to tour the rest of 2018."
The campaign will continue through the week of March 5, reaching thousands of children at schools and hospitals in Arkansas, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia and Wisconsin. This includes locations near CITGO Headquarters in Houston, Texas.
"At CITGO, fueling education is important to us, which is why we are so proud to partner with Bess the Book Bus and our Fueling Good Miss America State Ambassadors to celebrate National Reading Month," said Alan Flagg, CITGO Assistant Vice President of Supply and Marketing. "In doubling the amount of participating schools, ambassadors and volunteers for this year's program, our campaign continues to fuel today's youth and teach them about the importance of literacy and their education."
To learn more about how CITGO is fueling good in communities across the country, visit www.fuelinggood.com.
About Bess the Book Bus
Bess the Book Bus is a non-profit, 501(c)(3) organization committed to extending literacy across the country. Run by Jennifer Frances of Tampa, Fla., the organization visits local communities across the country in a specially designed "book bus," coordinating reading events and providing children with free, new books for them to keep. For more information, visit http://bessthebookbus.org/.
About CITGO
CITGO, based in Houston, is a refiner, transporter and marketer of transportation fuels, lubricants, petrochemicals and other industrial products. The company is owned by CITGO Holding, Inc., an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of Petróleos de Venezuela, S.A., the national oil company of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela. For more information, visit www.citgo.com.
SOURCE CITGO Petroleum Corporation