SECRETARY CARSON AND CONGRESSMAN RUTHERFORD HOLD VIRTUAL SUMMER READING SESSION AT JACKSONVILLE ENVISION CENTER
Reading session is part of the “Summer Reading with Secretary Carson” series

WASHINGTON - U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Ben Carson and Congressman John Rutherford (FL-4) released a new video as part of the virtual summer reading series, Summer Reading with Secretary Carson. While in Jacksonville, Florida the two visited the local EnVision Center and held a virtual reading session.

Throughout the summer, Secretary Carson is publishing weekly story time videos for children and parents to view on his Instagram channel. In addition to reading, the series will also highlight several of HUD’s initiatives that focus on educational advancement, such as the EnVision Center initiative and Book Rich Environments. Click on the image to view the video or click here.

“Reading is a fundamental part of learning; it certainly had an important impact on my life,” said Secretary Ben Carson. “Through this summer reading series, we’re helping kids to cultivate a love for reading, which is a skill that will serve them greatly for the rest of their lives.”

“It was an honor to take part in Secretary Carson’s summer reading series,” said Congressman John Rutherford. “As the saying goes, first you learn to read, then you read to learn. A strong foundation in reading is critical for early childhood development and I thank Secretary Carson for putting America’s children first.”

HUD’s Book Rich Environments (BRE) Initiative is a collaboration aimed to transform Public Housing Authorities (PHAs) into book rich environments by providing diverse, high quality books and other literacy tools to children and families living in HUD-assisted housing to improve literacy outcomes and ensure all young people, regardless of background, have the tools they need to reach their full potential.

The effort is made possible by a partnership among the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the U.S. Department of Education (DoE), PHAs, public libraries and other local and national education partners. Last year, HUD celebrated the distribution of 1,000,000 books to children living in HUD-assisted households or participating in HUD programs.

Secretary Carson launched the EnVision Centers Initiative to form centralized resource hubs in communities across the country that provide people with the educational tools and support needed to excel. The Centers focus on four pillars of growth and success: economic empowerment, educational advancement, health and wellness, as well as character and leadership.