Reach Out and Read, Northeast
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Envisioning a world ...
where every child has the relationships essential to learn and thrive
who we are and what we do
In partnership with a national network of clinicians, Reach Out and Read harnesses the power of pediatric primary care to reach families and uses it to promote early literacy and healthy family relationships. The only national pediatric literacy model endorsed by the American Academy of Pediatrics, Reach Out and Read annually serves 4.4 million children and families. Nearly half a million of those families live in the Northeast region.
More than a book giveaway program
“Reach Out and Read is so much more than a book giveaway program. Pediatric practitioners amplify the impact of giving families a book by combining the gift with advice from a trusted source about how and why to use it.“
-- Alex Chu, RORNE Executive Director
We believe that there is no better way to help parents support their children’s development than by having a trusted medical caregiver promote positive parenting behaviors like daily shared reading. Over two dozen studies confirm the effectiveness of this model.
We also believe that something as important as early literacy and relational health promotion should benefit all children. Since just about every child attends well child visits, delivering the program at those visits helps ensure that we are reaching the children who need Reach Out and Read the most.
OUR IMPACT
- Participating families are 2.5X more likely to report enjoying reading together and those caregivers are 2.5X more likely to read to their children
- Children’s language ability improves with increased exposure to Reach Out and Read -- typically by 3-6 months
OUR commitment to representation
We are committed to providing clinics with books that authentically reflect the identities and experiences of the children and families in their care. We know how developmentally important it is for books to provide children with both mirrors and windows. Children need to be able see characters that look like them and their families -- and characters whose lives are very different from their own.
OUR PRIORITY
Although all children deserve and benefit from participating in the program, we prioritize children in historically marginalized communities who benefit the most. As part of our effort to expand with equity, we are working to increase our programming in Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs), rural clinics and practices with a high percentage of patients covered by Medicaid.
OUR REGION
The Northeast region includes Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont, and Upstate New York. Our Maine programs will be coming online in July of 2024.
435,253
Children aged 0-5
662,148
Books distributed
3,661
Clinical partners
528
Clinic sites
THE POWER OF PARTNERSHIPS
Reach Out and Read Northeast could not serve the hundreds of thousands of families it does each year without the help of generous government, foundation, corporate, and individual partners. We are grateful to every individual and entity that helps us fulfill our mission. Please see our most recent annual report for a complete list of our partners.
Reach Out and Read is 501(c)3 nonprofit that gives young children a foundation for success by incorporating books into pediatric care and encouraging families to read aloud together.
Alex Chu , Regional Executive Director
89 South Street, Suite 201
Boston, MA 02111
Phone: 617.455.0600
EIN is 04-3481253
Quick Links:
RORNE FY23 Annual Report
FQHC Recruitment Project
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