Valorena Publishing Expands Global Programs & Community Partnerships

Celebrate with Valorena Publishing and poet JoJo Brame this World Mental Health Day at “Literacy for Health” — where words inspire wellness and community.

Launches “Literacy for Health” — Writing, Resilience & Wellness

PEARL RIVER, NY, UNITED STATES, October 7, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Valorena Publishing, the creative force behind The Cocoa Kids Collection^®, is expanding its global footprint through new literacy partnerships and programs linking reading, wellness, and community engagement.

Building on collaborations with Reading Is Fundamental (RIF), Little Free Library (LFL), The Indie Author Project (IAP), and The Healthcare Education Project (HEP), Valorena is strengthening its mission to advance literacy as a foundation for health, learning, and empowerment.

This fall, the organization debuts its newest initiative—a Global Mental Health Day event: “Literacy for Health.” The program reclaims October’s Health Literacy awareness theme to highlight how reading and writing foster emotional well-being, empathy, and mental health.

Literacy as the Foundation for Wellness
For Dr. Valerie L. Williams-Sanchez, founder and publisher of Valorena Publishing, literacy is more than reading—it’s a tool for healing and human connection.

“Literacy is the thread that weaves together learning and living,” said Williams-Sanchez. “It’s the bridge between what we know and how we heal. When we write, we name our experiences—and that act of naming is both literacy and therapy, powerful acts of agency and self-care.”

Through her scholarship and public programs, Williams-Sanchez champions a broader understanding of “literacy for health”—one that includes awareness, empathy, and the ability to apply knowledge for personal and community well-being.

Expanding Reach Through Strategic Partnerships
Valorena Publishing’s literacy impact continues to grow through strategic partnerships that unite education, creativity, and public health:
Reading Is Fundamental (RIF) — The Cocoa Kids Collection^® is featured on RIF’s Literacy Central, the nation’s leading digital platform for teachers, caregivers, and young readers.
Little Free Library (LFL) — The Summer 2025 Campaign placed Cocoa Kids titles in community libraries nationwide, promoting representation and access.
Indie Author Project (IAP) — Expands Valorena’s digital reach through U.S. and Canadian library networks.
Healthcare Education Project (HEP) — Strengthens Valorena’s health literacy mission and sponsors the upcoming Global Mental Health Day Event.
Together, these collaborations advance a shared vision: literacy as a driver of learning, wellness, and engagement.

Global Mental Health Day Event: “Literacy for Health”
Sponsored by The Healthcare Education Project (HEP), the event explores how creative expression supports mental wellness and resilience.
Highlights include:
Poetry & Performance by Jouvanna “JoJo” Brame, poet and filmmaker of Resilience Is…
Dialogue with Dr. Williams-Sanchez and Brame on storytelling, trauma, and renewal
Workshop: “Writing for Resilience” — guided journaling for mental health and wellness
Film Screening: Resilience Is… followed by Q&A
Grounded in research, the event’s “Our Why” framework connects expressive writing to improved emotional and physical health, reflecting a literacy continuum:
Writing → Literacy → Education → Health Literacy → Better Health Outcomes & Wellness
“This event bridges our literacy work with the October celebration of health literacy when we honor the deeper human need for connection and care,” said Williams-Sanchez. “It’s about wellness through words.”

The Cocoa Kids Collection^®: A Legacy of Impact
Founded in 2013, The Cocoa Kids Collection^® advances literacy, empathy, and inclusion for children ages 6–8 through stories that celebrate diversity, biopsychsocial and emotional growth.
Titles and themes include:
Isaiah and the Chocolate Mountain — perseverance and self-regulation
Lorena and the Magic Mocha Mirror — self-love and body image and anti-bullying
Eddie and the Hot Cocoa Hot Rod — curiosity and STEM discovery
As profiled in Wikitia, the series integrates multicultural storytelling, social-emotional learning (SEL), and biopsychosocial development, with neurodivergent-friendly features and bilingual editions forthcoming.

About Valorena Publishing
Valorena Publishing (Valorena Online, LLC) is a strategic literacy and communications consultancy founded by Dr. Valerie L. Williams-Sanchez. Its brands—The Cocoa Kids Collection^®, Emotion Commotion™, and Literacy for Health™—advance reading and self-expression as pathways to empathy, equity, and wellness.

Valerie Williams-Sanchez
Valorena Online, LLC & Valorena Publishing
+1 714-654-6453
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