As part of National Health Center Week (August 2–8, 2026), Read to Grow joined the dedicated team at Norwalk Community Health Center (NCHC) to celebrate the vital role community health centers play in supporting Connecticut families.
Read to Grow Executive Director Suzannah Holsenbeck welcomed state and local leaders to NCHC for a legislative visit focused on the importance of early literacy and the powerful role healthcare providers play in helping families build a strong foundation for lifelong learning from the very beginning.
State Representatives Robin Comey, Lucy Dathan, and Tracy Marra, along with Senator Bob Duff, met with NCHC staff to learn more about the comprehensive care they provide to patients every day. Throughout the visit, they heard firsthand about the impact community health centers have on families and saw that impact in action by meeting with prenatal patients and learning how early literacy is incorporated into care.
As part of the visit, legislators helped distribute free books and literacy materials to expectant families and even read stories aloud in both English and Spanish, reinforcing the message that reading, talking, and singing with children can begin long before a child enters the classroom.
Read to Grow extends a special thank you to the Norwalk Community Health Center team—including CEO Kenneth Waller, Chief Medical Officer Dr. Djana Harp, Community Maternal Case Manager Sonia Morales, and Director of Development & Communication Betty Cordellos—for hosting this meaningful event and sharing their incredible work with our community partners.
Read to Grow is proud to partner with community health centers across Connecticut to ensure every family has the resources they need to nurture language development and a lifelong love of reading from birth. We are grateful to Norwalk Community Health Center for hosting this meaningful event and to our elected officials for taking the time to champion early literacy alongside us.
