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News from Reach Out and Read Washington State
In This Issue
Budget Support for Young Learners
Early Learning Success in the Road Map Region
Give Joy, Give Books
Reach Out and Read Washington State on Facebook
About Reach Out and Read Washington State
Support Reach Out and Read in Washington
 
Your Amazon shopping  benefits 
Reach Out and Read programs!  
 
 
December 2014

 

"I think I can. I think I can. I think I can."

-The Little Engine That Could, by Watty Piper

 

The Little Engine That Could is one of my all-time favorite books. I loved having my parents read it to me as a child, and I remember how much fun it was to "accidentally" say the wrong words when reading to my son, and have him correct me. It's such a great story about perseverance, and about doing the right thing to help little girls and boys!

 

We feel a bit like that Little Engine at Reach Out and Read. Organizationally, we're a small entity. But we support over 1,400 medical providers who in turn serve 100,000 young children and their families across Washington. Our 'engine' helps define the goals, inspire doctors to participate, and provide support and direction to make it easier for medical providers to support parents and put books into the hands of children all year long.

 

We're excited about continuing attention to early learning at the national, state, and local levels. From the White House Summit, to Governor Inslee's budget proposal to increase investments in Early Learning, to Seattle's preschool program, there is momentum.

 

But we also feel like a Little Engine when we see how easy it is for parent engagement and support for babies and toddlers to get a bit lost with the attention on preschool; or when a very small budget item like Reach Out and Read isn't mentioned when the focus is on the bigger requests. A story in The Atlantic helps balance the coverage and explain the need:  When It Comes to Early Learning, Preschool Isn't Enough

 

At the same time we're also thrilled to see many people take a comprehensive approach to education, both within early learning (Early Learning Action Alliance) and across the cradle to career education continuum (Cradle Through College Coalition). Harnessing together people and organizations around common goals for investment in education is vital to the success of our children, and our state.

 

I'm going to finish with one last train analogy! Our Little Engine is in continual need of fuel to help us make it up and over that hill to provide for all the girls and boys who need books, and whose families appreciate the support as doctors help them be their child's first teachers. So we invite you to support our work in your year-end giving, and to make your purchases count as well (see below for details).

 

As we move through the heart of the holiday season, we wish you and your family peace and joy. We also wish you time to cuddle up with a book, and to rest up for January. Reach Out and Read and our youngest learners need your support for Early Learning this legislative session!


Jill Sells, MD and the Reach Out and Read Washington Team

 

BUDGET SUPPORT FOR YOUNG LEARNERS


 

    

"Kid Governor" Advocates for Early Learning. On Monday, five-year-old Kid Governor Sabella Johnson met with the press to share what she would do if she were in charge of the budget. The Early Learning Action Alliance, and Sabella, released a toddler-friendly 'board book' version of the Washington State Budget for Early Learning, outlining the early learning priorities that should be in the State budget.


According to The ABC's of Early Learning: Washington State Early Learning Budget, we need to focus on

  • Affordability
  • Broader Access (including Reach Out and Read)
  • Creating and Supporting Quality

Check out the story here: Kid Governor highlights the need for early education funding.


 

EARLY LEARNING SUCCESS IN THE ROAD MAP REGION

     

Reach Out and Read supports families 48,624 times in South King County. Reach Out and Read is actively expanding services in South Seattle and King County as part of The Road Map Project. At the Project's December 4th Education Results Network Meeting, Early Learning was featured. Presentations can be seen here, with Reach Out and Read starting on page 31. We thank the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation for supporting our work in the Road Map Region since 2012. 


Implemented in diverse medical settings, including community health, public health, tribal, hospital-based, and private practices, Reach Out and Read has served families in the Road Map Region since 1998. At Road Map Project baseline in 2010, Reach Out and Read providers in 22 clinics supported an estimated 13,780 young children and their families. In 2012, the Birth to 3rd Grade Workplan identified this approach as a foundational strategy. Reach Out and Read has continued to expand services for families, provide professional development and technical assistance to assure implementation of the program with fidelity, and establish Reach Out and Read as a key aligned partner in the Road Map Region. Embraced across cultures, the program is serving over 24,000 children and their families (48,624 well-child checkups): 70% low-income, 60% children of color, 36% with a home language other than English. See Partnering to leverage the power of the parent-doctor relationship.


 

GIVE JOY, GIVE BOOKS



Thank you for supporting Reach Out and Read this holiday season. Donate online and know your support will make a real difference for young children and families.


You can also support our work while purchasing gifts now, and all year long. Please share these 2 links with as many of your friends and family as possible!


Gift shopping? Support Reach Out and Read with your Amazon purchases! When you use the link provided here or click the icon on the upper right corner our website, almost anything you buy from Amazon will result in a donation to RORWA. There is no charge to you! Help spread the joy of reading with a portion of each sale.

 

Fred Meyer Community Rewards Program will also donate a percentage of your purchases, while you still earn your Reward Points, Fuel Points, and Rebates, as always. Win-Win! Just search for us by name or by our non-profit number: 88480, and link your Fred Meyer Rewards Card to support Reach Out and Read Washington State's early literacy work.

REACH OUT AND READ WASHINGTON STATE ON FACEBOOK

 

Find us on Facebook

 

Follow Reach Out and Read Washington State on Facebook for early literacy news, reading tips, and brain research information. Please LIKE us and suggest our Facebook page to your friends to help us spread our message about early literacy. Thanks!

 

ABOUT REACH OUT AND READ WASHINGTON STATE

  

Reach Out and Read helps prepare children to succeed in school by partnering with doctors to prescribe books and encourage families to read together. Our evidence-based proven program leverages the influence of children's doctors and makes literacy a standard part of well-child checkups from ages 6 months through 5 years. Reach Out and Read supports parents as their child's first teacher and helps children be ready for kindergarten. 

 

Through 171 programs in 31 counties, 1,400 medical providers serve an estimated 100,000 children and their families across Washington. Reach Out and Read Washington State is a Regional Office of Reach Out and Read, Inc., a national not-for-profit 501(c)3 organization.

 


CONTACT INFORMATION:

Email - washington@reachoutandread.org

Telephone - 206-524-3579
Fax - 206-524-4768  

Address - 155 NE 100th Street - Suite 301, Seattle WA 98125