RORGP News
Supporting Early Literacy by Reaching Families Beyond the Exam Room Walls in 200 Words
March is National Reading Month. Learn more about what Reach Out and Read Greater Philadelphia is doing for families in and out of exam rooms. Click here to read all about it.
New Peer Reviewed Study Shows Transformative Impact of Reach Out and Read
BIG NEWS: 100,000 survey responses show how Reach Out and Read “promote(s) early childhood development by creating moments that matter for millions of children nationwide.” Click here to read all about it.
Free Reading Programs at Local Libraries
Local libraries offer fun, free reading programs for children and adolescents and many other resources for families. Below are the links to county library programs in Southeastern Pennsylvania. These programs at the library offer a great way to expand your child’s mind and keep the year round reading fresh and engaging!
Bucks: https://buckslib.org/summerquest/
Chester: Summer Reading Club – Chester County Library (chescolibraries.org)
Delaware: http://www.delcolibraries.org/summer-quest
Montgomery: Summer Reading–All Together Now! at the Main Library – Montgomery County-Norrown Public Library (mclinc.org)
Philadelphia: https://libwww.freelibrary.org/programs/summerreading/
Reach Out and Read Policy Brief
On March 16, 2023, in partnership with Reach Out and Read, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) PolicyLab released a new policy brief authored by an interdisciplinary group of primary care providers, early literacy researchers, and policy experts that provides recommendations on how states could use Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) to improve equitable access to Reach Out and Read. To read more, click here.
Reach Out and Read 10th Annual Basketball Tournament
In October 2023, the Reach Out and Read (ROR) leadership at the Center for the Urban Child at St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children (SCHC) held their 10th annual basketball tournament to benefit the SCHC ROR sites in North and Northeast Philadelphia. This tournament raised more than $150,000 to purchase new ROR books for the young children and their families.
In October 2022, over 200 people gathered at Germantown Friends School for an exciting event that combined passions for basketball and literacy promotion. As of December 2022, the tournament raised $160,000, which will purchase at least 55,000 brand-new books for children in North Philadelphia! To read more, click here.
Preventing Childhood Toxic Stress
NEW – American Academy of Pediatrics policy statement emphasizes Reach Out and Read’s critical role. To read more, click here.
Supporting Early Literacy for Babies and Toddlers in Military Families
Our very own team member, Katie Lane, MPH, wrote a short article highlighting the exciting news of the care act. Representatives Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA) and Peter Meijer (R-MI) introduced their bipartisan CLIMB Act to permanently authorize the popular programs on military installations and at military treatment facilities (MTF) that help improve childhood literacy in military families. To read more, click here.
Diverse Book Recommendations
A key component of our Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion strategy focuses on promoting more culturally responsive children’s books that serve as mirrors and windows. To do this work well, we are expanding our thinking and assumptions to ensure we are truly maximizing the opportunity we have as a Reach Out and Read national network. To read more, click here.
The Reach Out and Read Diverse and Inclusive Booklist demonstrates the richness of books available for children and families. In addition, it offers practical tips for choosing diverse and inclusive books, as well as elements to avoid. The list is available in a one-page condensed version and a multi-page version with book descriptions.
Diverse and Inclusive Book ListDiverse and Inclusive Book List with Descriptions
Philadelphia Pre-K and Kindergarten Registration
Get a Great Start! Click here to learn more and register online for Pre-K and/or Kindergarten.
The Power of Storytelling for Families Navigating a Pandemic
“In medicine, it’s often called doorknob syndrome…as my hand reached toward the doorknob, I (Danielle) reminded mom of the book we used to start the visit, provided through our Reach Out and Read (ROR) program…” Read this entire blog by RORGP Associate Medical Director Danielle Erkoboni, MD and Policy Manager Katie Lane, MPH:
The Power of Storytelling for Families Navigating a Pandemic
Books are Mirrors and Windows
Books help start ongoing conversations between parents and their young children about difficult and timely topics such as the COVID-19 Pandemic and Racial Equity. As parents and caregivers search for the words to deal with our own anxieties, books can give children great comfort along with a better understanding and explanation. It is powerful to read or listen to a story about someone like you. Books, too, allow us to view and understand lives that are different from our own, like a window into other experiences with a diversity of people, topics and worlds. At Reach Out and Read Greater Philadelphia, we’re committed to increasing access to inclusive books for young people of all races and backgrounds.
Reach Out and Read is on the Air
Check out all of the different podcasts featuring Reach Out and Read!
Reach Out and Read National– A podcast centered on the belief that children’s books build better brains, better family relationships, and happier, healthier children and societies. Host Dr. Dipesh Navsaria, a pediatrician with a children’s librarianship degree dives into a wealth of varied early childhood health and literacy topics with expert guests examining the many facets of supporting the parent-child relationship as key to early success.
iHeartMedia Philadelphia Community Podcast – Featuring Drs. Haecker and Erkoboni about their roles as pediatricians and talking with parents about the importance of reading aloud
Tell Me Podcast – Featuring Trude Haecker, MD and Danielle Erkoboni, MD about the “power of one” and Reach Out and Read
2020 The New York Times Article
Check out another amazing article by Reach Out and Read’s National Medical Director, Perri Klass, MD, in The New York Times. Read more into what is worrying pediatricians during the COVID-19 pandemic – here.
RORGP Creates a YouTube Channel
We’re now on YouTube! Check out our new YouTube channel where we are participating in the #ReadTogether challenge!
Archive of Reach Out and Read Greater Philadelphia Newsletters
RORGP APRIL 2021 NEWSLETTER RORGP MARCH 2021 NEWSLETTERRORGP FEBRUARY 2021 NEWSLETTERRORGP JANUARY 2021 NEWSLETTER RORGP DECEMBER 2020 NEWSLETTERRORGP November 2020 NewsletterRORGP OCTOBER 2020 NEWSLETTERRORGP September 2020 NewsletterRORGP JULY 2020 NEWSLETTERRORGP July 2019 NewsletterRORGP December 2019 Newsletter
The New York Times Article
Check out Reach Out and Read National Medical Director Dr. Perri Klass’, M.D. article in The New York Times! Read more into how essential literacy and language development is all of our lives. Click Here
