MILWAUKEE -- Thousands of books are being given to students all over Milwaukee.
The "My Very Own Library” program will give several books to kids who otherwise might not be able to afford them.
More than 3,000 MPS students will take part in the program and they'll end up with 10 books by the end of the year.
The students at Kluge Elementary are among 3,400 Milwaukee Public School students chosen to take part.
“When I first told them they were receiving 10 books and a book bag, they were through the roof excited because they know. They know the value of books and they get them here at school, but they're not getting them at home,” said Kluge Elementary Principal Trila Pitchford.
The program started in New Jersey and is now expanding to Milwaukee and a few other locations around the country.
“They come into the room and they see the books and it's really an emotional moment because they're very excited. They're very gracious and grateful,” Nicole Angresano said.
Angresano works with the United Way of Greater Milwaukee and Waukesha County.
On Wednesday, the students will pick out three books, then in February three more, and they'll get four additional books in May just before school is out. That's more than 34,000 free books throughout the course of the year.
“Three books is great. But ten books given specifically around times that are close to school breaks when we know that kids have more opportunity and more time to read,” Angresano said.
The program is being paid for with a $250,000 grant.
Milwaukee Public Schools and the united way are also matching that grant to help make my very own library possible.
