Mount Vernon Woods Elementary School students gained access to a redesigned library with 800 new books on Thursday.

The new library was unveiled in a ribbon-cutting ceremony attended by students, Mount Vernon Woods Elementary School principal Marie Lemmon, and Fairfax County Public Schools superintendent Dr. Jack Dale. The newly designed library and books were provided by the Heart of America Foundation and Capital One Bank. Both organizations work together to provide books to children in low-income communities and to create safe, inviting libraries in their schools.

Volunteers from Heart of America and Capital One were on hand to read books to students and distribute books for students' home libraries.

Mount Vernon Woods Elementary School qualified for a READesign® Library Makeover through a selection process that included interviews and site visits, said Janice Reardon of the Heart of America Foundation.

"At each of the schools targeted for assistance by The Heart of America Foundation, more than 65% of the students are on meal assistance and more than 25% of the students are reading at or below basic levels," explained Reardon in an email to Patch. "In addition to validating need, site visits evaluate the quality and commitment of the schools staff and obtain assurances that books we donate will reach the children and be appropriately used."

Mount Vernon Woods Elementary School is the second Fairfax County Public School to benefit from Heart of America's READesign project.