What is Raising a Reader?

In 2010 the Arizona Multihousing Association partnered with state and nationally acclaimed Southwest Human Development and Raising a Reader to design and living in multifamily communities. The convenience of having this high quality family oriented educational program has turned Raising a Reader into a true AMA success!

Additionally, this program supports families at apartment communities to locate a library, and many other community services that enrich families and support a high quality of living in their rental community.

Managers that have participated with RAR have reported the following successes at their communities:

• Happy and cooperative residents
• Paying residents
• Great community building
• Great selling point to prospective residents
• Builds neighborhood promotion & integrity
• Illustrates hard work and dedication to peers and supervisors

What requirements are necessary to participate?

Due to the unique mission of this program to provide every child with an equal opportunity for achievement by engaging parents in a routine of daily book sharing, fostering healthy brain development and support parent-child bonding, the families and managers involved must first establish the commitment necessary to successfully carry out the goals of this mission. Basic requirements include:

Program Requirements

• Allowance of a 2-hour session once a week for a total of 8-weeks..
• Schedule flexibility (after work, weekends as necessary)
• A required minimum of 10 families-these can be on site residents as well neighboring residents
• Children must be between the of ages 0-5
• Parents and caregivers MUST BE PRESENT- this literacy training is intended for both parents AND children.

AMA Requirements

• You must be 5 STAR certified or in the process of becoming compliant. This is absolutely necessary for properties that are participating with this and other family- and community-based programs offered through the AMA
• Community must be an active member of the AMA.

For more information about joining Raising a Reader please contact Lucina Chavez at lchavez@azama.org, or (602) 296-6213.

Click here to learn more about raising a reader.

Click here for the raising a reader application.