Books on Break at Bennett School was a true family affair. On June 5, 2026, the Chatham Education Foundation brought the fair to Bennett for the first time. Gary Leonard, Chair of the Chatham County Board of Education and a former Bennett student and teacher, asked CEF to consider bringing

This May, hundreds of Pittsboro Elementary students headed home with free books to read over the summer—thanks to a gift rooted in a lifelong love of reading. In memory of her husband, Robert Myers, Peggy Myers coordinated a collective gift of $8,000 to support Chatham Education Foundation’s Books on Break

“Brightspeed is proud to support initiatives that strengthen the communities we serve,” said Tali Kulbeda, Head of Local Marketing and Partnerships at Brightspeed. “Access to books and literacy resources is essential, and we’re honored to work alongside the Chatham Education Foundation to help students succeed.” In 2026, Books on Break

Join CEF at free book fairs across Chatham County this May and June and help students choose books of their own to keep and enjoy over the summer. Books on Break is one of the most joyful ways to support local students. Volunteers help children browse and choose books to

Thanks to a $4,375 grant from the Galloway Ridge Chatham County Charitable Fund, Chatham Reads was able to bring Books on Break to The Nature Trail community for a second year. A program of the Chatham Education Foundation (CEF) and Chatham County Schools (CCS), Chatham Reads hosts free book fairs

In April, Central Electric Membership Corporation (CEMC) partnered with the Chatham Education Foundation (CEF) to bring Books on Break to Moncure School. Organized by Chatham Reads, a program of CEF and Chatham County Schools, Books on Break is a free book fair in which students from pre-K to fifth grade

Reading should be fun! This was the theme of Books on Break, which brought free book fairs to seven of Chatham County Schools’ elementary schools in low-income communities in April and May. Whether students were into silly stories, exciting mysteries, magical worlds, or real-life facts, there was a book to

The Chatham Education Foundation (CEF) has received a $4,375 grant from the Galloway Ridge Chatham County Charitable Fund to host a free book fair for children at the Nature Trail in May 2025. The Nature Trail is a mobile home community of approximately 200 Latino families whose children attend North

Every parent of an elementary school student in North Carolina has likely heard and understands the gist of the phrase “Read to Achieve.” In a nutshell it means if a child is not reading proficiently by the end of third grade, they may not be able to advance to fourth

The Women of Fearrington has granted the Chatham Education Foundation $2,500 to expand its Books on Break program to the Nature Trail–an underserved residential community in which close to 100% of the families qualify for free or reduced lunch. The students in the neighborhood attend North Chatham Elementary (NCE), but