MRA Café-Coffee and Conversations
Welcome to the August updates of the Massachusetts Reading Association. MRA Café is a monthly publication that connects our members, inspires joyful collegiality, shares insights into literacy education, and celebrates success stories.
August Book Suggestions
Summer is the perfect time to slow down, recharge, and enjoy a good book. We are grateful to the MRA members who shared their reading recommendations for this collection of summer selections. Whether you are reading by the beach, in your backyard, or during a quiet moment at home, we hope these titles bring both enjoyment and inspiration.
Spotlight on Local Councils
Congratulations to our Mini-grant Recipients! These Mini-grants provide funding to support creative programs and projects that foster reading development, community engagement, and lifelong learning. From book distribution events and author visits to family literacy nights and student-led reading initiatives, the selected proposals reflect the mission of MRA to advance literacy for all learners.
This year’s Mini-grant recipients include:
Nobscot Reading Council for their project Just Because Back to School Program, which provided funds to purchase school supplies and backpacks for students in preschool through grade 12 in order to help students prepare for school and assist families in times of their greatest need.
Cape Cod Reading Council for their project Books for JRI Kids, which put books in the hands of children serviced by the Justice Resource Institute (JRI). JRI encompasses a broad range of specialized schools and unique programs including behavioral health clinics, trauma services, educational and residential services, juvenile justice, and foster care.
Southeast Regional Reading Council (SERRC) for their projectBooks at Buttonwood which provided funds to host an event at Buttonwood Park Zoo in New Bedford in which readers would be stationed at various animal attractions and would read a fictional story based on that particular animal. Coloring pages were also distributed to build a coloring book for each child.
The Massachusetts Association of College and University Reading Educators (MACURE) for their project Twice Told: Bringing Bilingual Children’s Books to the Holyoke Community Library which provided books to expand access to Haitian-Creole bilingual children’s books in the Holyoke Library.
Through these grants, the Massachusetts Reading Association affirms its commitment to supporting educators and literacy leaders across the Commonwealth. MRA applauds the creativity, dedication, and passion of its local councils in making a lasting impact on readers of all ages.
For more information about MRA’s mini-grant program or to learn more about how your council can get involved, please visit MRA’s website.
Books at Buttonwood - SERRC
Books for JRI Kids - Cape Cod Reading Council
2027 MRA Conference on the Horizon
Save the date for MRA’s 56th Annual Conference
March 3-5, 2027
at the Boston Marriott Newton Hotel in Newton, MA
MRA information
The Massachusetts Reading Association is a professional non-profit organization of individuals whose primary purpose is to improve the quality and level of literacy in the state of Massachusetts. The MRA is affiliated with the International Literacy Association (ILA), a worldwide literacy organization. Our Mission The mission of the Massachusetts Reading Association is to promote literacy for all learners through professional development, research, publications, and advocacy.