REACH OUT AND READ INC

REACH OUT AND READ IS THE ONLY NATIONAL EARLY LITERACY ORGANIZATION WORKING DIRECTLY WITH PEDIATRIC CARE PROVIDERS TO INCORPORATE THE PROMOTION OF READING ALOUD TO CHILDREN EVERY DAY. REACH OUT AND READ'S MISSION IS TO GIVE YOUNG CHILDREN A FOUNDATION FOR SUCCESS BY INCORPORATING BOOKS INTO PEDIATRIC CARE AND ENCOURAGING FAMILIES TO READ ALOUD TOGETHER. READING ALOUD TO YOUNG CHILDREN IS ONE CORE STRATEGY FOR PROMOTING HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS AND POSITIVE INTERACTIONS EARLY IN LIFE. THE PROGRAM BEGINS IN INFANCY AND CONTINUES THROUGH AGE 5, WITH A SPECIAL EMPHASIS ON CHILDREN GROWING UP IN LOW-INCOME COMMUNITIES.PEDIATRICIANS AND OTHER PEDIATRIC CLINICIANS WHO ARE INVOLVED IN THE ORGANIZATION SHARE BRAND-NEW, AGE- AND LANGUAGE-APPROPRIATE BOOKS AND LITERACY ADVICE WITH CHILDREN AND PARENTS AT EACH WELL-CHILD VISIT UP TO THE AGE OF 5. THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE ORGANIZATION'S MODEL IS RECOGNIZED BY THE AMERICAN ACADEMY OF PEDIATRICS IN A POLICY STATEMENT THAT RECOMMENDS EARLY LITERACY PROMOTION AS AN ESSENTIAL COMPONENT OF PEDIATRIC CARE. THE PROGRAM IS BOTH COST-EFFECTIVE AND EVIDENCE-BASED: RESEARCH SHOWS THAT THE PROGRAM RESULTS IN MORE FREQUENT READING AT HOME, ACCELERATED VOCABULARY AND CRITICAL BRAIN DEVELOPMENT.THROUGH GENEROUS SUPPORT AND REVENUE FROM INDIVIDUAL CONTRIBUTIONS, CORPORATE FOUNDATIONS, DONATED GOODS AND SERVICES AND GOVERNMENT GRANTS, THE ORGANIZATION PROVIDES BOOKS AND TRAINING TO APPROVED PROGRAM SITES IN ALL 50 STATES AND WASHINGTON, DC. APPROVED PROGRAM SITES ARE MEDICAL FACILITIES THAT HAVE DEMONSTRATED THE ABILITY TO IMPLEMENT THE MODEL AND HAVE SIGNED A LETTER OF AGREEMENT WITH THE ORGANIZATION. FUNDING SOURCES ARE GENERATED BY PROGRAM SITES, REGIONAL AFFILIATES, AND THE NATIONAL CENTER. DURING THE YEAR ENDED JUNE 30, 2025, APPROXIMATELY 8 MILLION BOOKS WERE DISTRIBUTED TO APPROXIMATELY 6,800 SITES.