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Tucson nonprofit Make Way for Books bags $50K Library of Congress award

A Tucson-based nonprofit has won the 2022 Library of Congress American Prize.

Make Way for Books works to make sure children from birth to 5 years old have the reading and literacy experiences they need to start school and become thriving learners and readers. The group works with about 20,000 children, families and educators throughout Arizona each year.

The prize comes with a $50,000 award, which Melinda Englert, interim CEO at Make Way for Books, says the nonprofit will use to promote and grow its work and find more families to help that are harder to reach.

The Show spoke with her about the initiative and asked about the importance of literacy and getting books into kids’ hands.

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Mark Brodie is a co-host of The Show, KJZZ’s locally produced news magazine. Since starting at KJZZ in 2002, Brodie has been a host, reporter and producer, including several years covering the Arizona Legislature, based at the Capitol.