BOSTON – Senator John Kerry and Congressman James McGovern today announced that Reach Out and Read (ROR) will receive $4,964,051 in federal funding from the Department of Education to expand and improve its educational programs nationwide.
 
Reach Out and Read is an evidence-based, national nonprofit organization that promotes early literacy and school readiness by making books a routine part of pediatric care.  ROR trains doctors and nurses to advise parents about the importance of reading aloud to their children.  The program also provides new, age-appropriate books at regular pediatric checkups to children 6 months to 5 years of age.  Reach Out and Read was founded at Boston City Hospital in 1989.
 
The organization plans to use the funding to enhance its existing programs, continue to evaluate the effectiveness and quality of the current model, support 32 existing ROR Regional Coalitions across the country, continue to reduce book costs, and continue to implement special initiatives such as Reach Out and Read in the Military, Leyendo Juntos (ROR’s Spanish-speaking initiative), and ROR’s initiative to serve American Indian and Native Alaskan children.
 
“Reach Out and Read is such a critical program because of the simple fact that children who grow up reading are more successful than their peers,” said Senator Kerry. “By making this small, but significant investment in early education, we will help pediatricians put books into the hands and homes of millions of children nationwide and educate parents on the importance of a bedtime story.”
 
“One of my favorite things to do is to read to children at Reach Out and Read events,” Rep. McGovern said.  “It’s an incredible program.  We all know that reading to our kids not only helps prepare them for a successful educational future -- it’s also a lot of fun.  I’m very pleased with this Department of Education support.”
 
“35% of American children arrive at kindergarten unprepared to read, and unprepared to learn,” said Earl Martin Phalen, CEO of Reach Out and Read.  “Reach Out and Read is committed to changing that, by targeting children in the critical years before school begins, and promoting early literacy through their pediatricians and parents using a model that is both research-proven and cost-effective.  We are enormously proud of the bipartisan support we have received on Capitol Hill, and are especially grateful for the leadership of Senator Kerry and Congressman McGovern in securing this key funding for Reach Out and Read Programs nationwide.  Their support enables us to reach millions of children and families in need, and give them the tools they’ll need to succeed in school, and in life.”