This Week’s Nonprofit Spotlight is The Reading Connection
@getoutgivebackWhat Is The Reading Connection? 
The Reading Connection (TRC) reads to kids and gives them books to instill the love of reading in them. A love of reading can make all the difference between academic success or failure. Last year they served 1,500 children and distributed 9,096 books. TRC’s vision is that every child in the program will be regular and passionate readers.
What is The Reading Connection’s Mission?
The Reading Connection improves the lives of at-risk children and families by helping them create and sustain literacy-rich environments and motivation for reading.
Program Highlights
The Read-Aloud Program: Over 200 volunteers spend an hour each month reading with kids and engaging them in conversation and activities related to the book’s theme. Each child can then select a book to take home and read.
The Book Club: Mails new books each month to over 568 children to help them build their personal libraries. Families may choose the book from an age-appropriate, language- and culturally appropriate selection, and parents are encouraged to read and discuss the book with their kids.
Reading Families Workshops: Story-hour style workshop for children and parents. Each family receives a copy of the book that has been read to the group, plus three others to add to their home library. These workshops are conducted in Spanish and English.
Literacy Advocates Trainings: Provides staff at our partner agencies to teach them how to establish a long-term family reading routine with their clients continues to build literacy skills.
Volunteer Opportunities
Read-Aloud Volunteer: Read to children for only an hour each month! These programs are held in emergency and transitional housing shelters, domestic violence safe houses, and affordable housing community centers throughout northern Virginia and southeast DC.
Office Volunteer: Help package and mailed book packages to our Book Club families and help with data entry, database maintenance, special projects or other administrative tasks as needed. Need help during daytime and on weekdays. Times are flexible.
Book Drive volunteer: Organize a new-book drive from our WISHLIST at your workplace, church or school. Click here for more information on hosting a book drive.
Click here to sign up for any volunteer opportunity.
Come help kick off inauguration weekend with a celebration to honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and volunteer! On Saturday, January 19th, hundreds of volunteers will assist nonprofit agencies providing services to people in need as well as provide educational activities to children and youth. In Alexandria, volunteers are needed to assist children and teenagers creating a story book. Volunteers are needed for set up, registration, implementing arts and crafts projects, clean up, and much more. Adult volunteers are needed to facilitate discussion groups with a smaller group of children. Interested adults should contact Jason Ellis at 
On Tuesday September 4th, the transformation of one of Community Lodgings’ five apartment buildings will begin – a full-fledged renovation! When I took over as Executive Director seven years ago, I set a long-term goal to ensure all our families lived in safe, comfortable homes. Over the years, out of sheer financial necessity, I was forced to take a “band-aid” approach to building repairs. Seven years later, with help from HomeAid Northern Virginia, Pulte Homes and the City of Alexandria, our long-term goal becomes reality. 
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