Reach Out and Read

Reach out and Read (ROR) makes literacy promotoion a standard part of pediatric primary care, so that children grow up with books and a love of reading. ROR trains doctors and nurses to advice parents about the importance of reading aloud and to give books to children at pediatric check-ups from 6 months to 5 years, with a special focus on children growing up in poverty. By building on the unique relationship between parents and medical providers, ROR helps families and communities encourage early literacy skills so children enter school prepared for success in reading. ROR programs are located in more than 3,400 hospitals and health centers and they serve 2.8 million children and their families each year.