Warm holiday wishes from All District Reads! May this season bring joy, peace, and the gift of stories shared with loved ones. Thank you for supporting literacy and community connections—here’s to a bright and book-filled 2025!
What a Year for All District Reads!
In 2024, we placed more than 50,000 books in the hands of children!
We helped roughly 25,000 families experience the joy of reading together.
Literally HUNDREDS of volunteers labeled books, recorded chapters of books for families, and helped out in the schools.
Reading became the hot topic of conversation in DOZENS of schools across Norfolk, Suffolk, Portsmouth, and Northampton County.
A Bounty of Books
Each fall and spring, excitement builds as students anticipate what the next books will be! Over the past year, students in participating ADR communities enjoyed a variety of great titles (listed below). Some of these books are part of a series. Students who enjoy one of the Humphrey or EllRay Jakes books may want to explore other titles in the series. This encourages them to continue to enjoy reading long after the ADR program ends.
The Mouse and the Motorcycle by Beverly Cleary (Northampton)
School Days According to Humphrey by Betty G. Birney (Norfolk, Suffolk, and Portsmouth)
Friendship According to Humphrey by Betty G. Birney (Northampton)
The World According to Humphrey by Betty G. Birney (Suffolk)
Frindle by Andrew Clements (Norfolk)
Cleo Edison Oliver, Playground Millionaire by Sundee Frazier (Portsmouth)
Celebrate Reading This Holiday Season
‘Tis the season—for reading! Here are a few quick tips for sharing the gift of reading during the holiday season: 1) share favorite holiday books with your children, 2) give books as holiday gifts, 3) check out the holiday displays at local libraries and bookstores, and 4) ask “what are you reading?” This last question encourages interesting discussions about books and may provide some ideas for your own next reading adventure. For more tips, read All District Read’s blog post for this month.
Speaking of Celebrating Reading….
Check out this graphic by Jen Jones, a K-12 literacy specialist. It really sums up what the shared reading experience is all about. Check out her Instagram at @helloliteracy.
All District Reads Board Takes Action
Here are a few of the key actions from the ADR Board of Directors meeting on November 6: 1) passed updated Bylaws, 2) installed new officers/Board members, 3) voted to leave the 2024 budget in place as a continuing resolution into 2025 for the time being, and 4) planned to implement a permanent staffing solution for ADR when finances permit.
In addition, several Board members were interviewed for a new All District Reads video that aims to raise community engagement. To learn more about this video, contact ADR Executive Director Mike Dillender at michael.j.dillender@alldistrictreads.org.
South Hampton Roads Rotary Clubs Honored
In its latest newsletter, Rotary International’s Basic Education and Literacy Rotary Action Group honored the contributions of several Rotary clubs in the South Hampton Roads area for their support of the All District Reads program. The article noted that the clubs partnered with ADR to distribute and place labels in more than 100,000 books over the past two years. Read the full article here.
Give the Gift of Reading This Holiday Season
Want to help provide books for LOTS of young readers during the year ahead? Consider any of these ways of supporting our mission to connect communities to local elementary students through the All District Reads program.
Visit the ADR website: Support our work by making a monthly donation through our Book Club or by giving a one-time gift of any size. Visit the ADR Donations page to learn more.
Check out our GoFundMe page: Our Empower Young Minds: Help Us Bring Books to Children in Need page offers another easy way to make a one-time donation to support our work.
Use your IRA to make a lasting impact. If you’re over 70 and have an IRA, you can use a Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD) to donate directly to All District Reads. Contact your tax professional about potential tax benefits. For details, contact ADR board member Annette Wilson at Annette.Wilson@townebank.net.
Literacy Quote
“One of the greatest gifts adults can give—to their offspring and to their society—is to read to children.” – Carl Sagan