The American Town That Adopted an Orphanage in France

The people of Reading, Pennsylvania learned about the devastation in the French town of Thury-Harcourt, Normandy, which had been completely destroyed during the Battle of Normandy — 85% of the buildings were leveled. Reading organized a massive fundraising effort through churches, schools, and local businesses, raising enough money to rebuild an orphanage and school in Thury-Harcourt. The children of Reading wrote letters to the orphanage children. The two towns maintained a sister-city relationship that exists to this day, over 80 years later. When the rebuilt orphanage was opened, it was named after Reading, Pennsylvania.