Reach Out and Read Colorado at Denver Health gives young children a foundation for success by incorporating books into pediatric care and encouraging families to read aloud together. Every day, more than 600 families leave health check-ups across Colorado with a prescription to read aloud and the tools to achieve success. Nurtured by the passionate and inspired efforts of many educators, doctors, volunteers, parents, corporations, foundations, and politicians, Reach Out and Read at Denver Health makes literacy an integral part of pediatric care during the first five years of life.
Since 1991, the Reach Out and Read model has been studied by academic researchers in a variety of settings, providing an extensive body of peer-reviewed research on the effects of the program. Researchers have found that parents served by Reach Out and Read are up to four times more likely to read aloud to their children. During the preschool years, children served by Reach Out and Read score three to six months ahead of their non-Reach Out and Read peers on vocabulary tests.
Your donation to this program funds brand new, high quality, developmentally appropriate books that are distributed by pediatric health care providers to their patients at each well-child visit from birth to five years. Children of all ages, birth to 18, can take home a gently used book every time they visit our clinics. Supporters can also provide gently used books by contacting Sara Watson, Program Manager, at Sara.Watson@dhha.org.