Secretary Carson Visits Children in Louisville for Book-Rich Environments Program

Secretary Carson reads a book to children at Cochran Elementary School in Louisville, Kentucky.

Secretary Ben Carson recently visited Louisville, Kentucky as part of the Book-Rich Environments program to read a book to 20 children at Cochran Elementary School. Thereafter, 11,000 books were handed out to children in the community.

HUD partners with the Department of Education, the National Book Foundation, Urban Libraries Council, the National Center for Families Learning, and 39 HUD-assisted communities in 22 states across the country to eliminate "book deserts" by giving books to children living in public housing and low-income areas.

The event marked more than 1 million books given through the program, which is in just its third year.

“Books opened up an entire world for me and I know how powerful they can be for so many kids we serve,” said HUD Secretary Ben Carson. “One million books and counting!”

Louisville Metro Housing Authority is the local partner in Kentucky. With a focus on providing free books, programming, and vital connections to local resources, the Book-Rich Environments program seeks to make long-lasting impact within Public Housing Authorities, helping to create sustainable book rich environments where literature is accessible and celebrated within the community.

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