Read 650 celebrates writers and the spoken word five minutes - and 650 words - at a time. The series is called "Voices of Hope: True Stories of Resilience, Recovery, and Renewal." It’s part of Carnegie Hall’s Voices of Hope festival which examines the life-affirming power of music and the arts during times of crisis. The stories you’re hearing today, along with many others, are available in book and e-book form. It’s just one of dozens of themed collections we’ve published, and they help fund our mission to promote writers. They’re great gifts and perfect bedtime reading, and you can view all of our themed anthologies, including What We Wore, Summer Jobs, The Great Outdoors and many others under the SHOP tab on our website, Read650.org. This episode of Read 650 was part of Carnegie Hall’s very first all-digital festival, Voices of Hope, exploring the life-affirming power of music and the arts. With streamed performances that range from orchestral and chamber works to folk and jazz, Voices of Hope features music that inspires change and lifts the human spirit. For complete festival details and event schedules visit CarnegieHall.org/voicesofhope. For more Read650, you can follow us on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, or at Read650.org.