Reach Out & Read

Reach Out and Read Program

Reach Out and Read makes literacy promotion a standard part of pediatric primary care so that children grow up with books and a love of reading.

Reach Out and Read trains doctors and nurses to advise parents about the importance of reading aloud and the program provides books to children at pediatric  check-ups from six months to five years of age. Through the unique relationship between parent and medical providers, Reach Out and Read helps families and communities encourage early literacy skills so that children enter school prepared for success in reading.

Reach Out and Read in Action

In the exam room, doctors and nurse practitioners trained to develop strategies of early literacy, encourage parents to read aloud to their young children, and offer age-appropriate tips. Every child between the ages of six months and five years receives a new, developmentally-appropriate children’s book to take home and keep. Volunteers in clinic waiting rooms read aloud to children, showing parents and children the techniques and pleasures of looking at books together.

Making a Difference

Nationwide, more than 1.5 million children participate in Reach Out and Reach annually and over 3 million books are given to families. In Wellsville, Pediatricians Nishat Shah and Zahi Kassas and Nurse Practitioner Monica Acomb participate in the program, which is funded by the Jones Memorial Hospital Community Wellness Program.