BROOKLYN NAVY YARD, Brooklyn — Book by book, block by block, the Brooklyn Book Bodega is working to make books as accessible as a bag of chips from your local corner store.<\/p>\n
Co-founders Rebecca Cogen and Seema Aghera chose the name “Bodega” with intention.<\/p>\n
“When you think of bodegas in New York, you think of a place that is familiar, a place where people come together,” said Aghera.<\/p>\n
“Books should have been as accessible as your neighborhood bodega,” added Cohen.<\/p>\n
This nonprofit, grassroots organization is actively working to eliminate “book deserts,” neighborhoods where book ownership is scarce.<\/p>\n
“Our mission is to increase the number of 100-plus book homes for kids in New York City,” said Aghera.<\/p>\n
By providing free, lightly used books, they want to ensure that every child, regardless of their family’s financial situation, has the opportunity to own stories that can shape their world.<\/p>\n
“We exist because kids who read do better in life. There’s an impact on their educational outcomes, their financial earnings, and their mental health,” Aghera said.<\/p>\n
Brooklyn Book Bodega distributes free books through pop-up events and community partnerships.<\/p>\n
“We are set up in the places and spaces where kids spent time,” said Aghera, emphasizing the nonprofit’s commitment to accessibility and community-first outreach.<\/p>\n
Volunteers play a vital role, helping to inspect, sort, and distribute books in the nonprofit’s Book Hub. Each book includes a stamp where kids can write their names, marking it as their own.<\/p>\n
“There is still so much work to do,” said Aghera.”If we all worked together, we could make a change.”<\/p>\n
Brooklyn Book Bodega encourages New Yorkers to get involved through donating used books, volunteering, or simply spreading the word.<\/p>\n