Ben Szenes who owns Buy the Book with wife Janine, said that when Paulette Greenfield of Gift a Book came into their store it was like “a marriage made in heaven.” Greenfield was giving out books at P.S. 42 in Far Rockaway at the same time Number Five students were receiving their books.

“The projects is designed to encourage the pride of ownership through consistently returning the responses,” said Ben, who echoed Schall’s thoughts of the book shelf. “they can look at their bookcase and say, ‘look at what I have done’.”

To date the Foundation has given out nearly 600 books, including to the fourth and fifth graders in Lawrence and second graders in Far Rockaway, and they seek to expand the program.

The state incorporated non-profit (an application for federal not-for-profit status is pending) subsists on donations of books and money that can be sent to Paulette Greenfield, 361 Yale Ave., Woodmere, NY 11598. Checks can be made payable to Gift A Book Foundation, Inc.

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