ST. CLOUD, Fla. — At first, it seemed like a daunting idea: How can you get kids excited about reading?

• John Kalish knew he wanted to do more to inspire kids to read
• Army vet started portraying Batman to give out books to children
• He now dresses as Batman to bring kids, first responders together

John Kalish reflects back some four years ago, when he worked as a director at Goodwill in Orlando. The stacks of books kept piling up, many simply not wanted. That was the beginning of Goodwill's BookWorks program, which continues to give tens of thousands of books to children.

It was a start, but Kalish said he knew he needed to do more. He had a calling, like a bright light shining in the dark.

You might call it the "bat signal."

"We had done events and given books to children and donating them that way, and then one day, I did it as Batman, and from there, it just grew," Kalish said. "What had happened was, if I hand a kid a book, a kid goes, 'A dude gave me a book.' They may or may not take it home; they may or may not read it.

"(But if) Batman gives them a book... They take the book and they treasure it, they read it."

That spark of excitement can make a world of difference.

A long-term study by the Annie E. Casey Foundation determined that students who were not reading at grade level by the third grade are at greater risk of dropping out of school later in life.

Kalish has retired from his Goodwill job to focus exclusively on his nonprofit foundation, A Hero for Kids, for which the U.S. Army veteran keeps the focus on kids, community, and putting service above self.

It's a volunteer job, suiting up as Batman to meet kids and inspire them to success.

Through the foundation, Kalish estimates that Batman will appear at more than 100 community events in 2019 alone, finding ways to empower children to believe in themselves and others.

"We take these generations of kids, and we get books in their hands, and they start enjoying reading and embracing reading. That's where it started — with literacy, with children," Kalish said. 

The effort started with literacy but has grown quickly over the past few years.

Batman, seen as a superhero among countless children, is also a liaison to help introduce kids to everyday heroes working in law enforcement and fire rescue.

"Our law enforcement and firefighters are so focused on the community also, and to get the children in there and humanize the bad and humanize the firefighters and even humanize Batman, they look at Batman and think, 'This is great,' " Kalish said. 

Now more than ever Kalish said he believes there is a role for Batman in helping to create conversations and build relationships between community members and first responders.

Batman's popularity and support has grown in recent years among kids of all ages.

"We want to give back to the community and be a part of the local nonprofit and support law enforcement," said Brian Fisher, owner of Brews 'N' Blues in St. Cloud.

Fisher is among the local Osceola County businesses that help host fundraisers for A Hero For Kids foundation.

"I think it does a lot. We have a lot of kids who come here who are just excited to see Batman, and it's not just about seeing Batman, but it's about what he does for the community, and we love being a part of it," Fisher said. 

In addition to distributing donated books to children at schools, Batman has appeared at a series of community events hosted by the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office, the Orlando Fire Department, and others.

Batman is often joined by a growing cast of Gotham's most notable personalities, including Joker. While their battles may play out in comic books, Kalish says making a difference is a superpower that everyone possesses.

"You just have to look around and drive up the street and take a look," Kalish said. "The needs are out there; we have people who are homeless, we have children that go through the summer without a meal, we've got first responders who aren't respected, we've got veterans coming back from these conflicts that need a sense of belonging.

"That's what they're missing. Go out there and reach out to folks like that."