In honor of Read Across America Day, March 2, Bucks center Brook Lopez is making an investment in local youth by providing nearly $70,000 in donated books and funds to three Milwaukee Public Schools and to Next Door Foundation.

To start, Lopez will provide funds for all students at Cass Street Elementary School, Siefert Elementary School and Burbank Elementary School to choose five books.

Each student will attend a Scholastic Book Fair at their school over the next two weeks and pick out their five books courtesy of Lopez. This initiative is expected to provide nearly 6,000 books to more than 1,100 students across the three schools, with the contribution totaling approximately $43,000.

In addition, Lopez will continue his support of Next Door Foundation with a $25,000 donation to go toward the purchase of books for the organization’s library. This is Lopez’s third year supporting Next Door Foundation, with funds in the past coming through his Blocks for Books campaign, which have helped renovate the facility’s library and purchase books.

With Lopez sidelined for much of the 2021-22 season, he will continue his support of the Milwaukee-based organization with this year’s $25,000 donation.