Leon Logothetis Partners with First Book to Give 10,000 Books to Los Angeles Schools

Leon Logothetis, host of National Geographic's Amazing Adventures of a Nobody, has reached his goal to share the magic of books with thousands of students from low-income schools in Los Angeles County. Recognizing the importance of expanding the horizons of young people through reading, especially in a time of cutbacks to education funding, Logothetis entered the famed Mongol Rally this past summer, an arduous 10,000 mile trek which began in London and finished inMongolia, in order to support students in need. 

Through First Book, Logothetis committed one book per mile, and, mile by mile over unpredictable terrain, he tallied up books to donate to underprivileged youth.  10,000 brand-new books - one for each mile of the race - will go to Los Angeles County schools.

Just in time for back-to-school, ten schools will each receive 1,000 badly-needed books. The schools selected include Harry Bridges Span School, Sutter Middle School, Noble Avenue Elementary School, Desert Rose Elementary School, Stanley Mosk Elementary, Hollenbeck Middle School, Plainview Academic Charter Academy, Kipp Raices Academy, Loren Miller Elementary, and Kelso Elementary School.

Each school is a member of First Book's national network of low-income schools and community programs.

"As I drove through impoverished stricken areas across Eastern Europe, my vision to share my love of books with challenged kids in the city I live in became stronger and stronger," said Logothetis. "I hope that one day in the future these students will have the opportunity to discover the world and travel to places beyond their wildest dreams while helping others in return."

In addition, Logothetis this week announced an additional challenge to the community: nominate another local school serving kids from low-income families to receive 1,000 new books for their students.

Anyone can participate! To nominate a school, post its name on Leon's Facebook page or send him a tweet, and let him know why the school should receive the books. The challenge runs until Friday, Sept. 21. 

Nominated schools must be members of First Book's national network, or eligible to become members, which means that at least 70% of their students must be from low-income families. First Book will work with eligible schools to get them signed up.

To celebrate the conclusion of this partnership, Logothetis and First Book's local volunteer chapter, First Book-South Bay, hosted a book distribution on Sept. 18, at Kelso Elementary School in Inglewood, Calif.

At the event, Logothetis presented 750 students with brand-new books. He also made a presentation, autographed books, recounted tales of his most recent adventure, and provided students with the opportunity to take pictures with his world famous Kindness Cab, the London taxi he personally drove cross country offering free transport to Americans in need as a gesture of goodwill.

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