Leadership talks with kids.

Support from PNC helped us open new literacy nooks in our primary care waiting rooms—integrating books into regular check-up visits.

Partnership Matters

Partners Help Us Foster a Love of Reading 

“The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.” —Dr. Seuss

It turns out Dr. Seuss belongs in the doctor’s office just as much as he does in the library. 

Recent research shows the importance of daily parent / child reading time—especially in the early years. This time together offers more than bonding; it promotes brain development and helps prepare young kids for success in school.

And thanks to generous support from PNC Grow Up Great®, we’ve been able to implement a number of early reading initiatives, including our Prescription for Reading program.

This program integrates reading and early literacy development into a child’s regular check-up visits. Parents learn the importance of reading with their child and are supported as they foster their literacy skills. Families also receive free children’s books—hand delivered by their child’s doctor.

“PNC has been a long-standing supporter of Cincinnati Children’s and the important work they do, especially in the community health and literacy sector,” says Kay Geiger, PNC regional president for Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky. “It was a natural fit to continue our relationship by coming together in support of their Prescription for Reading program.”

Thanks to PNC, we now have special literacy nooks in three primary care waiting rooms—reminding families of the importance of reading that both parents and doctors can nurture. 

Ohio First Lady Fran DeWine visits Cincinnati Children's.

Our staff was pleased to welcome Ohio's First Lady Fran DeWine to the medical center to celebrate our literacy efforts and launch the Ohio Governor’s Imagination Library (OGIL) in Hamilton County.

Cincinnati Children’s will play an important role in helping families enroll in the OGIL program, where children from birth to age 5 can receive a new book each month, at no cost to their family.

Research has shown that book ownership can be a predictor of future academic success. In fact, studies have found that children with just 25 books in their home were more likely to complete an additional two years of education. 

“Today 53,000 kids across Hamilton County can now sign up for the Ohio Governor’s Imagination Library,” said the First Lady. “I am so thankful that Cincinnati Children’s is expanding this program to include every child in every zip code of Hamilton County.”

Inspired by Ohio First Lady Fran DeWine’s passion for early childhood literacy, the OGIL is a partnership with Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library to ensure children enter the classroom ready to succeed.