Donate to Local 10's My Future, My Choice Big Book Drive

PEMBROKE PARK, Fla. – WPLG Local 10 News wants children in South Florida to experience the joy and benefit of reading. It's why Local 10 is launching the My Future, My Choice Big Book Drive. 

My Future, My Choice is a multi-faceted, multi-year station initiative to address youth gun violence and help pave a path to solutions and success.

It began with a town hall meeting in April, along with editorials, public service announcements and weekly news stories. 

The Big Book Drive is another component of the station's commitment to spread a positive message to South Florida youth. They can choose their future and achieve their goals.

Research shows that an alarming number of kids who fail to graduate high school were poor third-grade readers. 

Low-income students lose more than two months in reading achievement over the summer. In middle-income neighborhoods, the ratio of books per child is 13 to one, while in low-income neighborhoods, the ratio is one book for every 300 children. 

However, there is good news.

Research also indicates the most successful way to improve the reading achievement of low-income children is to increase their access to print.

 From June 20 through Aug. 31, Local 10 is joining forces with Miami-Dade County and Broward County Public Libraries, Walgreens and other private businesses to collect new books for kids. 

 

 

The following is a list of drop-off locations near you, along with a suggested list of age-appropriate books you can donate. Make sure you scroll all the way to see all the participating partners for the Local 10 My Future, My Choice Big Book Drive.

 

 

 

Broward County

YOU CAN DROP OFF YOUR NEW BOOK DONATION AT ANY BROWARD COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY LOCATION.  For your convenience, below is a list of some of the participating branches.

 

Stirling Road, Hollywood

3150 Stirling Road

954-357-7550  

 

South Regional/Broward College, Pembroke Pines

7300 Pines Blvd.

954-201-8825

 

Pembroke Pines/Walter C. Young, Pembroke Pines

955 NW 129 Avenue

954-357-6750

 

Weston, Weston

4205 Bonaventure Blvd.

954-357-5420

 

West Regional, Plantation

8601 West Broward Blvd.  

954-765-1560

 

Sunrise Dan Pearl, Sunrise

10500 West Oakland Park Blvd.

954-357-7440

 

Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale

3100 Ray Ferrero, Jr. Blvd.

954-262-5477

 

Imperial Point, Fort Lauderdale

5985 North Federal Highway

954-357-6530

 

Northwest Regional Library, Coral Springs

3151 University Drive

954-357-7990

 

African American Research Library & Cultural Center, Fort Lauderdale

2650 Sistrunk Blvd.

954-357-6282

 

Miami-Dade County

Miami Springs, Central Miami-Dade

401 Westward Drive

305-805-3811

 

Main Library, Downtown

101 West Flagler Street

305-375-2665

 

Arcola Lakes, North Miami-Dade

8240 NW 7th Avenue

305-694-2707

 

California Club, North Miami- Dade

700 Ives Dairy Road

305-770-3161

 

Golden Glades, North Miami-Dade

100 NE 166 Street

305-787-1544

 

North Dade Regional, North Miami-Dade

2455 NW 183rd Street

305-625-6424

 

Coral Reef, South Miami-Dade

9211 Coral Reef Drive

305-233-8324

 

South Miami, South Miami-Dade

6000 Sunset Drive

305-667-6121

 

Kendale Lakes, Southwest Miami-Dade

15205 SW 88th Street

305-388-0326

 

Sunny Isles Beach, Southeast Miami-Dade

18070 Collins Avenue

305-682-0726

 

Barnes & Noble is also a Local 10 Big Book Drive partner. You can shop at any of the following South Florida locations for new children's books.

Broward County

Fort Lauderdale

2051 N. Federal Highway, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33305

954-561-8019

 

Plantation

591 S. University Dr., Plantation, FL 33324

954-723-0489

 

Miami-Dade County

South Miami

5701 Sunset Dr. Ste. 196, South Miami, FL 33143

305-662-4770

 

Coral Gables

152 Miracle Mile, Coral Gables, FL 33134

305-446-4152

 

Kendall

12405 N. Kendall Drive, Miami, FL 33186

305-598-3865  

 

The following Walgreens stores will serve as drop-off points for new children's books:

 

Broward County

1300 E. Hallandale Bch. Blvd.

Hallandale Beach, FL 33009

 

501 E. Sheridan St.

Dania Beach, FL 33004

 

3015 S. University Dr.

Davie, FL 33328

 

1751 Bonaventure Blvd.

Weston, FL 33326

 

11750 W. Sample Rd.

Coral Springs, FL 33065

 

5480 N. University Dr.

Coral Springs, FL 33067

 

Miami-Dade County

9675 N.W. 41st St.

Doral, FL 33178

 

18665 Biscayne Blvd.

Aventura, FL 33180

 

3007 Aventura Blvd., Bay 4

Aventura, FL 33180

 

Suggested Book List:

Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day

Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs

Curious George

Diary of A Wimpy Kid

Fancy Nancy

Green Eggs and Ham

Jumanji

Madeline

Olivia

The Cat In The Hat

The Going To Bed Book

The Lorax

The Tale of Peter The Rabbit

The Very Hungry Caterpillar

 

On Friday, July 15, Local 10 News anchors Todd Tongen and Neki Mohan will hop aboard a yellow school bus to collect your donations. We want to fill that bus from floor to ceiling. Let's make it happen and make a difference this summer for kids who need it most.

For more information about the South Florida library system and ongoing, free reading activities for kids at a branch near you:

In Miami-Dade County, visit mdpls.org

In Broward County, visit Broward.org/library