Mandela Market hosts first “Fueling Good in Buffalo Day” with Bess the Book Bus.
East Buffalo’s Mandela Market and local CITGO Marketer Goetz Energy Corp. hosted the first “Fueling Good in Buffalo Day” on Saturday, May 25, with special guest Bess the Book Bus.
A national mobile literacy outreach program, Bess the Book Bus, gave away more than 150 free books to children and engaged with children and families regarding the importance of literacy.
“We are so proud to have played a role in this event, and very grateful to see the children so excited about their new books,” said Ahmed Saleh, owner of Mandela Market. “It has truly been a very rewarding experience working with Bess the Book Bus, Goetz Energy Corp. and CITGO Petroleum to bring the children in our community their first ‘Fueling Good in Buffalo Day.’”
As parents filled their gas tanks, local children were able to meet and greet Bess, participate in giveaways and partake in storytelling sessions for an afternoon of family fun. Goetz Energy Corp. representatives were also on hand to assist Bess the Book Bus and get the East Buffalo community excited about reading.
“There really isn’t a more deserving area than right here in Buffalo’s inner city,” said Steven Jackson, gasoline marketing manager at Goetz Energy Corp. “We really appreciate Bess the Book Bus making this special stop to join us in encouraging kids and families to be enthusiastic about reading and providing books to those who need them the most. We hope Bess will be back to visit us soon.”
Bess the Book Bus, a nonprofit, 501(c)(3) organization devoted to extending literacy across the country, has donated more than 350,000 books to children in the U.S. Run by Jennifer Frances of Tampa, Fla., the organization visits local communities in a specially designed “book bus,” coordinating reading events and providing children with free, new books for them to keep.
