- Mary Mathew
- 8 minutes ago
- 2 min read
Book Harvest Receives James B. Hunt Jr. Celebrate Literacy Award
On March 26th, Book Harvest was honored to receive the 2026 James B. Hunt, Jr. Celebrate Literacy Award from the North Carolina Reading Association (NCRA). The award recognizes local North Carolina reading councils, organizations, or individuals for service in promoting literacy among children and adults and in developing reading and writing communities.
Book Harvest’s Founder and CEO, Ginger Young, Senior Director of Advocacy, Mary Mathew, and Chief External Relations Officer, Benay Hicks, gratefully received the award on behalf of the organization at a special awards recognition ceremony during the NCRA Conference, held at the Benton Convention Center in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
“NCRA and Book Harvest feel not just like kindred spirits but immediate family,” shared Ginger in a ballroom full of NCRA educators working to advance literacy. “Joy and justice run through our veins and yours.”
Both organizations believe literacy is the foundation of opportunity; and both organizations believe in the power of books to build confident readers, critical thinkers, caring people, and engaged citizens.
Book Harvest is doubly honored to receive this award at this time as we celebrate the legacy of Governor Hunt, a champion of literacy and an exemplar of what it means to advocate relentlessly for our state's youngest.
As a four-term Governor in North Carolina, Governor Hunt cared deeply about literacy, early childhood, and education. He understood the importance of ensuring all children enter school healthy and ready to learn, and developing a strong education system to support literacy and North Carolina’s economic growth and prosperity.
Governor Hunt is recognized for establishing the statewide Smart Start early childhood initiative, which now serves as a national model. His bold ideas and leadership across the aisle also helped to build the first universal, full-day kindergarten program in the country, mandate reading assistants in K-3 classrooms, and raise teacher pay and quality.
Governor Hunt passed away in December 2025. In accepting the award, Ginger shared State Senator Graig Meyer’s words, a testament to both his legacy and our continuing opportunity as educators and literacy champions:
Governor Hunt never went a day of his life without coming up with bold new ideas for how he and others could help North Carolina. He was insistent that we all contribute to that collective endeavor. The Governor might be gone, but we can all continue his lifelong effort to keep North Carolina the Beacon of the South - all that it can be, all that it should be. Now more than ever we need to draw strength from his legacy and fight harder to ensure it endures.
We couldn’t be prouder to receive this award in honor of one of our greatest heroes. Governor Hunt’s dedication to children and their futures, and the commitment of NCRA leaders who serve as beacons of light in their communities, will continue to inspire us in our pursuit of literacy and justice for all – and book ownership for every child – across the great state of North Carolina and beyond.
Book Harvest is deeply grateful to the North Carolina Reading Association and to its leadership, President Heidi Perez and President-Elect Dr. Hiller Spires, for this award.