A Decade of Building Home Libraries, One Book at a Time
This year marks the 10th anniversary of the Scripps Howard Fund’s “If You Give a Child a Book…” campaign, and Renewal by Andersen of Central Virginia is proud to once again stand behind it alongside our partners at CBS6. Over the past decade, the campaign has put nearly 2 million books into the hands of children across the country. We’re honored to keep that momentum going right here in Central Virginia.
Giving back isn’t a side project for us. It’s part of how we show up in the communities where we install windows and doors every day. Fostering a love of reading in local kids is one of the clearest ways we know to invest in a strong Central Virginia for years to come.
Why This Program Still Matters
The need hasn’t gone away. Many students have limited access to books outside the classroom, and that gap shows up in reading proficiency and long-term academic outcomes. “If You Give a Child a Book” closes that gap directly by bringing Scholastic Book Fairs into partner schools so students can choose books that genuinely excite them.
That detail — letting kids pick their own books — matters more than it might sound. Research consistently shows children who choose their own reading material are more likely to actually read it, and more likely to score higher on reading comprehension. The campaign’s goal is to give every student at its partner schools 10 new books a year, building a real home library one book fair at a time.
This year, the campaign is also expanding its reach, now serving children in kindergarten through fifth grade rather than stopping at third. That means more Central Virginia students get the chance to build a home library during the years reading habits take hold.
This Year’s Impact in Central Virginia
This year’s check presentation took place at Frances W. McClenney Elementary School in Richmond, part of Richmond Public Schools.
Last year, Renewal by Andersen of Central Virginia donated $3,000 to the campaign as part of the community-wide effort that raised nearly $52,000 for Richmond students. We’ll update this page with 2026 totals as this year’s campaign numbers come in.
A Local Commitment
“Renewal by Andersen is always looking for opportunities to give back to our community — not just the community our homeowners live in, but also the community that we live in,” says Lauren Muse, Senior Director of Marketing at Renewal by Andersen. “We know that supporting childhood literacy is going to support the community for a long time, because it’s setting these kids up for a great future.”
That commitment carries over year to year for a simple reason: the team has seen the difference it makes. “Honestly, just seeing the kids’ faces — the impact the program had — we were so ready to do it again,” Muse says. “We talked to the schools we worked with last year, as well as the great people here at CBS6, and the kids love the program, so we’re going to do it again. We’re going to keep pushing this and helping them be successful.”
For Renewal by Andersen, that follow-through is the point. It means showing up, year after year, for the same cause because we’ve seen what it does for local kids — a book a child picks out themselves can change how they see reading, and themselves, for good.
How You Can Help
Every donation to “If You Give a Child a Book” goes directly toward putting new, self-selected books into the hands of Central Virginia students. Every $12 given provides two books for a child who needs them.
Visit CBS6’s Give a Book page to make a secure donation.
A single book can spark a lifelong love of reading. Ten years in, we’re proud to keep helping Central Virginia kids find that spark — and we’re looking forward to another decade of doing it.
Learn more about our past support of If You Give a Child a Book.
