Sign in Subscribe
Children

Congressman Prescribes Reading to Young Patients

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

Republican Rep. Howard Coble visited the Guilford Child Health Inc. in Greensboro, N.C. to promote the importance of reading to children. As part of the Reach Out and Read program, Coble read popular children's books to the children, including "Clifford's Bed Time" and "Five Little Monkies Jumping on the Bed." After the reading, each child was given a book to take home for their parents to read to them. Coble emphasized the significance of reading in a child's development, stating that it prepares them for any trade and any walk of life. The Reach Out and Read program, started by Ellen Roberts in 1998, provides free books to children of low-income families in Guilford County, with more than 9,000 books distributed annually.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Reach Out and Read program, led by Ellen Roberts, distributes over 9,000 free books to children of low-income families in Guilford County annually.
  • Each child participating in the program starts kindergarten with nine new books, promoting early literacy and a love for reading.
  • The program is available in six languages: English, Spanish, Arabic, Bosnian, Cambodian, and Vietnamese.
  • Through the Reach Out and Read program, children show improvements in language scores, a critical component of school readiness.
  • Studies have shown that parents who receive books and literacy counseling from their doctors and nurses are more likely to read to their young children, read to them more often, and provide more books in the home.
  • The program is part of a statewide initiative with 89 programs in North Carolina, with Greensboro's ROR being the largest and longest-running.
  • Rep. Howard Coble's visit aimed to promote the importance of reading to children and the benefits it can have on their development and future success.

Statistics:

  • Over 9,000 free books are distributed annually to children of low-income families in Guilford County through the Reach Out and Read program.
  • The program is available in six languages, making it accessible to a diverse range of families.
  • 89 programs are part of the Reach Out and Read initiative in North Carolina, with Greensboro's program being the largest and longest-running.
  • Children participating in the program show improvements in language scores, a critical component of school readiness.
  • The program provides a book for each child to take home after check-ups, promoting early literacy and a love for reading.

Sources:

  • [Guilford Record, 10/14/2011, "Reach Out and Read: A prescription for reading"] (referencing Read to Your Children press release)
  • [Adria Hairston, Guilford Record, 10/12/2011, "Congressman Prescribes Reading to Young Patients"]
  • [Reach Out and Read website] (referencing program statistics and languages offered)

Read more