March 13, 2025

Spring is almost here, and with it comes the return of the CHP Reads! Summer Reading Program, an initiative designed to keep young minds engaged and learning while school is out. Now in its seventh year, the program continues to grow, bringing books, activities, and community engagement to residents at Community Housing Partners (CHP) properties across Virginia and Maryland.

This year’s theme, “Read, Connect, Grow: Stories that Bring Us Together,” highlights the power of storytelling to promote learning and build relationships across generations.

CHP, a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing affordable and sustainable housing across the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic, launched the CHP Reads! program in 2019 to help young residents combat summer learning loss. Over the years, the program has expanded significantly, distributing more than 18,000 books and hosting over 100 literacy-focused events.

A young boy with short hair and a black shirt stands under a blue canopy at a book fair at The Woods at Yorktown, holding a copy of the book Those Shoes. The child is smiling and holding a pink flower while surrounded by a table full of colorful children's books, including titles like A Good Kind of Trouble, Gonggle, and Maddi's Fridge. The table is decorated with bright paper pom-poms. In the background, there are residential houses, a parked car, and a person sitting outside.“This year, as our theme suggests, we are creating opportunities for participants to share their favorite books and stories with one another,” said Stacy Taylor, Resident Services Programs Developer at CHP. “When children have access to books and positive reading experiences with those around them, their confidence and joy in reading grow, leading to a lifelong love of learning. CHP Reads is all about encouraging those experiences and helping to remove barriers that stand in the way within our communities.”

The CHP Reads! program offers free books, book fairs, and community events that feature storytelling, art activities, and snacks for participating children. To support the program’s growth, CHP is collecting donations to purchase additional books, install more Little Free Libraries, and expand book fair activities.

As in previous years, the kickoff of CHP Reads! coincides with National NeighborWorks Week (June 7-14), a nationwide celebration of the impact of NeighborWorks organizations in strengthening communities. CHP has been a chartered member of NeighborWorks America since 2003.

For those interested in supporting the program, visit the Bucks for Books webpage to donate and help put books into the hands of young readers.

Children sit on blankets in the grass at Linden Green Apartments in Christiansburg, VA, attentively listening to a woman reading a book aloud during a read-along event. The storyteller gestures expressively while seated in front of an apartment building with trees and a maintenance truck in the background.Participating Virginia properties include Ansell Gardens Apartments in Portsmouth; Belleville Meadows Apartments in Suffolk; Bluegrass Apartments in Pulaski; Checed Warwick Apartments in Newport News; Cross Creek Apartments in Portsmouth; Dolly Ann Apartments in Covington; Ephphatha Village in Charlottesville; Friendship Village Apartments in Virginia Beach; Grayson Manor in Independence; Greenstone on 5th Apartments in Charlottesville; Heather Glen Apartments in Radford; Holly Court Apartments in Kilmarnock; Huckleberry Court Apartments  Christiansburg; Kippax Place Apartments in Hopewell; Kingsridge Apartments in Richmond; Lafayette Elderly and Lafayette Family Apartments in Williamsburg; Laurel Woods Apartments in Pulaski; Linden Green Apartments in Christiansburg; Linden Grove Apartments in Christiansburg; Maplewood Apartments in Martinsville; Meadowview Apartments in Pulaski; Northway Apartments in Galax; Old Orchard Apartments in Pearisburg; Overlook Terrace Apartments in Fredericksburg; Parkview Gardens Apartments in Farmville; Rivermeade Apartments in Yorktown; The Summit in Hopewell; The Warwick Apartments in Newport News; The Woods at Yorktown in Yorktown; Townsquare at Dumfries in Dumfries; and Yorktown Square Apartments in Yorktown.

In Maryland, participating properties include J. Van Story Branch Apartments and Primrose Place Apartments, both of which are in Baltimore.

Founded in 1975, Community Housing Partners (CHP) provides quality-built, responsibly managed, service-enriched homes for low-income individuals and families across the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic. Through its mission to create homes and communities that are healthy, sustainable, and affordable, CHP has been a leading advocate of affordable housing development for 50 years. CHP’s activities include real estate development, construction, energy services and training, asset management, property management, realty and homeownership, and comprehensive resident services.