Reach Out and Read Book Drive

Reach Out and Read is an evidence-based nonprofit organization that promotes early literacy and school readiness in pediatric exam rooms nationwide by giving new books to children and advice to parents about the importance of reading aloud.

Reach Out and Read builds on the unique relationship between parents and medical providers to develop critical early reading skills in children, beginning at 6 months of age. The 3.9 million families served annually by Reach Out and Read read together more often, and their children enter kindergarten better prepared to succeed, with larger vocabularies, stronger language skills, and a six-month developmental edge over their peers.

Their Mission

Reach Out and Read prepares America's youngest children to succeed in school by partnering with doctors to prescribe books and encourage families to read together.

Doctors, nurse practitioners, and other medical professionals incorporate Reach Out and Read's evidence-based model into regular pediatric checkups, by advising parents about the importance of reading aloud and giving developmentally-appropriate books to children. The program begins at the 6-month checkup and continues through age 5, with a special emphasis on children growing up in low-income communities. Families served by Reach Out and Read read together more often, and their children enter kindergarten with larger vocabularies and stronger language skills, better prepared to achieve their potential.

Regarding book drives. If you’re interested in organizing one in your community, here is a helpful link if you choose to go that route. However, if you want to maximize the impact of your friends and supporters, the best bet is to direct them to Reach Out and Read’s Virtual Book Drive. That enables supporters to take advantage of our bulk purchasing power and publisher discounts, so that every donation goes as far as possible. It also cuts out all the “middle men” (buying the books from a book store, transporting books to a drop-off location, and then transporting them to Sites that need them). And it helps us ensure that the best possible books are getting into the hands of children in need. When someone donates a book through the virtual book drive and purchases it for $5, they not only are paying for the cost of the book, they’re also paying for every part of the program that supports the book – training the doctors, literacy materials, etc.

Visit Reach Out and Read to learn more.