"The ache for home lives in all of us. The safe place where we can go as we are and not be questioned."
     - Maya Angelou

This month, Library programs and outreach services have reminded me over and over about the importance of relationships, community, and kindness.

Last week we hosted our annual Carnegie Circle donor appreciation event featuring chef and author Vivian Howard. She spoke eloquently about finding her way home from New York City to Kinston, North Carolina, and the connections between people, place and food. She described a small, specific corner of our state through a universal lens that touched everyone in the room.

I also learned more about Library services for refugee families who are creating new homes in Charlotte. Each arrives with a unique and often tragic story, but they share a desire to build a better life for themselves and their children. Charlotte Mecklenburg Library's staff have built trusted, caring relationships with these families, and offer programs that provide empowerment, optimism and opportunity.

We’re all in this together, in a shared place we call home. I couldn’t be more grateful to each of you, who show up and invest in our welcoming, inclusive Library system. Thank you for making this work possible.

Jenni Gaisbauer, CFRE
Executive Director