Motorsports
NASCAR’s Erik Jones brings free books to Florida school with vending machine
Vending
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August 25, 2025
The Erik Jones Foundation, in partnership with AdventHealth, has installed Flagler County’s first Bookworm vending machine at Rymfire Elementary School, according to a Flager News Weekly report.
The machine, which dispenses free books to students, aims to promote childhood literacy. The first book was received by a student named Jedi Vanway.
NASCAR driver Erik Jones said the initiative started with virtual readings during the COVID-19 pandemic. His foundation later discovered the vending machines, which he says have proven effective in motivating children to read. The project is part of a broader effort to improve literacy rates.
“If you’re a strong reader and proficient early it really gives you a jump start on your education, and really life,” Jones told the news outlet. The initiative has placed machines in various locations, including Jones’s home state of Michigan and Volusia County.