VACU Donates Books to RVA Reads Initiative

Virginia Credit Union will support the RVA Reads initiative by donating a children’s book that teaches financial literacy to 1,880 preschoolers in the City of Richmond. In coming weeks, Virginia Credit Union’s financial education staff will partner with the schools to provide an in-person or virtual lesson using the book.

RVA Reads provides books for learners in each of the regional preschool centers in Richmond. The program works in partnership with the Richmond Public Library, the Office of Community Wealth Building and Richmond Public Schools to expand the number of books available to children at home.

Virginia Credit Union will donate copies of The Berenstain Bears’ Trouble with Money for students to take home. Students from five preschool centers, eight elementary schools, and eight child care centers in the City will receive a copy of the book.

The classic book by Stan and Jan Berenstain has the young brother and sister bears learning about money and starting their own small businesses to earn more. “Our hope is that this story about earning, spending, and saving will lay a foundation for financial education and that families will enjoy reading it together,” said Cherry Dale, Virginia Credit Union vice president for financial education.

The program will benefit students at the Blackwell, Mary Scott, Maymont, MLK and Summer Hill Preschool Centers; Bellevue, Broad Rock, Chimborazo, Fisher, Miles Jones, Oakgrove-Bellemeade, Overby-Sheppard and Southampton Elementary Schools; and the child care centers at Fifth Street, Foundations, Robert Taylor, Friends, Woodville, Oakgrove 2, Oakgrove Fairfax and the Sprout School.

A financial cooperative serving more than 300,000 members, Virginia Credit Union offers a variety of affordable banking services, loans, mortgages, and free financial education resources, with a focus on helping people be more confident with their finances. Virginia Credit Union is an equal housing opportunity lender and is federally insured by NCUA.