ROANOKE, VA., OCTOBER 2, 2023 – The City of Roanoke Redevelopment and Housing Authority is being recognized by the Campaign for Grade-Level Reading (CGLR) and selected into the 2023 Public Housing Communities Honor Roll. This recognition is an acknowledgment of its significant contributions to supporting children who live in public housing through the Book Rich Environments program. RRHA will be formally honored during the National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials (NAHRO) annual Awards Merit Reception this Thursday, October 5th, in New Orleans, Louisiana.
Every year, as part of the Book Rich Environments program, RRHA works closely with Star City Reads and Kids Soar. These collaborative efforts extend to hosting a variety of engaging events aimed at not only distributing books to children residing in public housing sites but also fostering a love for active reading. These events include reading sessions with pets, holiday-themed events, story times in the garden, and much more.
“The Resident Services team at RRHA is honored to be recognized for the work that we are doin with the Book Rich Environments, in partnership with Star City Reads and Kids Soar” RRHA Director of Community Support Services, Greg Goodman said. “We value the opportunity to assist our youth with access to diverse books to encourage literacy. We know that a book can be a gateway to new ideas and a way to see the world through many different perspectives. We are thrilled that we can play a role in helping our youth not just be on grade-level reading, but gain new perspectives and a love for reading that they will carry with them for the rest of their lives” he added.
“As the lead organization for Roanoke’s Campaign for Grade-Level Reading initiative, Star City Reads, the Roanoke Public Libraries believe that collaboration is the best way to best serve Roanoke’s children. Our partnership with RRHA has enabled the Libraries to help even more children build a love of reading,” said Sheila S. Umberger, Director of the Roanoke Public Libraries. “It’s crucial to help children develop their literacy skills in their own neighborhoods, and our partnership with RRHA allows us to do just that.”
RRHA has achieved several milestones, including the distribution of over 2,000 books to kids at Public Housing Authority sites, strengthening youth engagement through the new Roanoke EnVision Center community garden, establishing partnerships with local organizations such as animal shelters and the Roanoke Public Libraries to encourage youth and families to participate in reading activities.
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