Reach Out and Read, Inc.

About Reach Out and Read

Founded in 1989, Reach Out and Read gives young children a foundation for success by incorporating books into pediatric care and encouraging families to read aloud together. Reach Out and Read’s tens of thousands of trained pediatric providers use books as a diagnostic tool during regular check-ups, and teach parents how to engage their child with a book to promote positive parent-child interactions during the rapid brain growth between birth and age five, particularly in economically disadvantaged families who are at risk for adverse outcomes. The daily practice of reading aloud with a parent supports children’s literacy and math skill development, their social-emotional development, and prepares them for future success in school. Through its national network of providers, Reach Out and Read is helping to set 4.8 million children a year on a path to a bright future, from birth.

Reach Out and Read is the only national early literacy intervention delivered through pediatric care providers. The program has been the subject of 16 independent studies, the largest body of scientific research for any psychosocial intervention in pediatrics. Research shows that children served by Reach Out and Read are read to more often, enjoy sharing books more, and have better expressive and receptive language skills.

The Impact

• Reach Out and Read program sites are located in more than 6,400 hospitals and health centers in all 50 states, Washington, D. C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
• Reach Out and Read serves 4.8 million children and their families annually.
• More than 7.4 million new, developmentally appropriate books are given to children annually.
• More than 34,000 medical providers currently participate in Reach Out and Read.
• Our peer-reviewed body of evidence demonstrates that Reach Out and Read parents are two-and-a-half times more likely to read regularly to their children, and that children experiencing Reach Out and Read show enhanced language development.

To learn more about Reach Out and Read, visit www.reachoutandread.org.