Overview
Reach Out and Read-Making Books Part of a Healthy Childhood
In 2003 Reach Out and Read was rated one of the Top 100 Charities by Worth Magazine because 100% of donations go directly to the purchase of books. 
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Regularly reading aloud to children is one of the most important activities parents can engage in that enhances their child's development and readiness for school and success with reading. The Reach Out and Read Program at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center is working to introduce young children and their parents to the pleasures of books and reading.
The mission of this national program is to make literacy promotion a standard part of pediatric primary care, particularly for children in poverty, who otherwise may not have access to books or reading. Physicians in the Pediatric Primary Care (PPC) and Hopple Street work with more than 18,000 families a year, distributing more than 5,000 books to children under 5. Over 90% of these families are on Medicaid and are generally unable to devote family resources to the purchase of books.
Several research studies have proven that children participating in Reach Out and Read have increased language and other developmental skills compared to non-participating children, and Reach Out and Read parents read more to their children than non-participating parents. Leading to this success is:
- Physicians provide a new, developmentally appropriate book at each well-child check-up from birth to 5 years of age
- Physicians provide anticipatory guidance for the parent about early literacy and developmental milestones
- Volunteer readers read to children in office waiting rooms
Benefits to Children
Children who live in print-rich environments and who are read to during the first years of life are much more likely to learn and read on schedule.
Children who are read to three or more times per week outperform children who are read to less than three times per week on:
- Recognition of all letters of the alphabet
- Counting to 20
- Writing their name
- Pretending to read out loud
How You Can Help
Volunteer
The success of the Reach Out and Read Program depends on the generosity of people like you. Volunteers are needed to read to children. To find out how you can volunteer for Reach Out and Read, please contact Volunteer Services, (philc0@cchmc.org) 513-636-4396 and specify you would like to volunteer for Reach Out and Read.
Donate
Reach Out and Read is in constant need of books to distribute to children. While we accept donations of new books, monetary donations help us purchase books we are most in need of and, thanks to a significant discount from Scholastic Books and the Reach Out and Read partnership, donated dollars go further than commercially purchased books.
You may make a donation online - be sure to specify "Reach Out and Read" in the comments section - or by contacting the Division of General and Community Pediatric, 513-636-4506.
Contact Us
For more information about Reach Out and Read, please contact the Division of General and Community Pediatrics, (reachoutandread@cchmc.org) 513-636-4506.
