Toure McCord didn't always like to read. He tells 13abc, "In elementary school I had trouble reading...not reading trouble but comprehension."
He had to work hard to overcome it, and he admits, at one time, he would rather play basketball then pick up a book, until one day he realized -- "Basketball is not always going to be there for you...its not going to be there to bail you out ...you need something else to be plan too...your back up plan."
One day while riding through an inner city with his grandmother, Toure wondered if the children he saw had books.
His grandmother, Laneta Goings tells 13abc, "He's been blessed in life, having a lot of things that some kids don't have so to those that much is given, much is required so we were talking about what kind of impact could he make in this world. "
Books For Buddies was born out of that conversation. The organization works to enhance literacy for boys and young men "one book at a time."
Toure tells 13abc, "The drop out rate for boys in high school is really high and when they do that they think the whole world is against them and I am trying to help them from going to jail."
Toure is from Toledo but lives in Cincinnati. He uses social media to connect with teen Ambassadors who help him spread his message in Toledo.
The Toledo Lucas County Library is also a partner.
Clyde Skoles with the library tells 13abc, "I think there will be other libraries and other institutions around the nation will want to probably adopt what we are doing in Toledo its just an obvious project that is so logical in reference to enhancing literacy."
13abc, K-100, and The Toledo Blade are all proud sponsors of Books For Buddies.
On Sunday, August 12 from 12 to 6 p.m. books will be collected at the Rib off at the Maumee Fairgrounds, sponsored by Cedar Creek Church. If you would like to volunteer, call 1-866-944-1119
You can drop off your new or gently used books at the following locations:
The Toledo Blade
541 N. Superior Street
8 am - 5 pm Monday - Friday
13abc
4247 Dorr Street
9 am - 5 pm Monday - Friday
Buckeye CableSystem Locations
Southwyck Location
5566 Southwyck Blvd.
Deveaux Village Shopping Center
Corner of Sylvania and Douglas
Inside Computer Xtreme
3021 Navarre Ave.
All locations open 8 am - 7 pm Monday - Saturday
Cedar Creek Church
Perrysburg: 29129 Lime City Road
South Toledo: 2150 S. Byrne Road
West Toledo: 2600 W. Sylvania Ave.
Whitehouse: 6950 Whitehouse Square Blvd.
(All offices are open 9-5 p.m. Monday-Friday)
Taylor Automotive Family
Taylor Kia: 6300 W. Central Ave., Toledo
Taylor Hyundai: 12681 Eckel Junction Road, Perrysburg
Taylor Cadillac: 6100 W. Central Ave., Toledo
All content © Copyright 2000 - 2013 WorldNow and WTVG. All Rights Reserved.
