Read to Grow Welcomes a New Co-Coordinator to the Books for Kids Team
Read to Grow is excited to announce that our team has grown! Join us in welcoming Brittany Shelton as the new Co-Coordinator of our Books for Kids program. Brittany brings extensive experience working with preschool- and elementary-aged children, along with a deep commitment to supporting children and families through early literacy. Prior to joining Read to Grow, Brittany worked with Save the Children, where she partnered with parents, caregivers, and educators to help children thrive. Her background includes training and supporting adults who work with young children, giving her valuable insight into building strong literacy environments both at home and in the community. As the Books for Kids program continues to expand and serve more children and families each year, Brittany’s knowledge, enthusiasm, and passion for literacy will help strengthen our impact across Connecticut. We’re excited to have her on board as we continue working to ensure every child has the opportunity to develop a lifelong love of reading. Please give Brittany a warm welcome to the Read to Grow team—we’re excited to write our next chapter together!
Books for Kids Opens A New Chapter: Thank You, Linda!
On Thursday, March 5, our beloved Books for Kids Co-Coordinator, Linda Sylvester, officially entered retirement. She first came to Read to Grow as an incredible volunteer, before quickly falling in love with the organization and its mission. In 2005, she joined the team as a full-time employee—and from that day forward, she never looked back. Now, after 21 years of connecting children and families across Connecticut with high-quality, diverse books, and leading countless workshops, collaborations, and early literacy initiatives both within and beyond Read to Grow, Linda is opening a new chapter. During her time with Read to Grow, Linda made an immesurable impact on the children and families she served. Still, a few numbers help illustrate just how deeply she has shaped this work. With Linda serving as Co-Coordinator, the Books for Kids program distributed 2,029,570 books and served 6,421 families! From the bottom of our hearts, the entire Read to Grow community—staff, volunteers, partners, and of course the families we serve—thank you, Linda! A photo of Linda with her special retirement cake. (You may be able to guess her favorite book by looking at the cake!)
