NEWS from
 Reach Out and Read
 Washington State
APRIL 2016

"Ultimately, nonprofit organizations share one common purpose. That is to give the individuals they serve hope."
--Chan Hellman
 
Hope. Intuitively we know it matters, but what is it? Last week, hundreds of people gained insight into the Science of Hope at a conference of the same name, hosted by Healthy Generations. Amazing speakers dug deep into the research behind, and practical experience with, hope at the individual and community levels, and they tied it to health and health equity. They made a lot of sense.
 
I'm paraphrasing a bit--but from a scientific point of view, hope is about goals and a means to achieve them. There are three key components to this: 1) having a goal or desired outcome; 2) seeing one or more pathways toward achieving that goal; and 3) having the mental energy to move forward on that path. Having this simple road map in mind can help those facing many challenges. And for those of us working to improve equity for children and families, this perspective may provide a different way of understanding what we do. Non-profits, as Professor Chan Hellman described at the conference, provide a critical element of the hope triad--pathways for individuals and communities.
 
Reach Out and Read does this in two major ways. Organizationally, our goal is to make it as easy as possible for doctors and medical practices to deliver a program proven to support families and improve children's early literacy skills. We provide them with a feasible pathway toward high quality program implementation within their busy practices. For families, Reach Out and Read doctors help them visualize an outcome--that their child is thriving and ready for school--while giving them a pathway to facilitate talking and reading with their young child in a way proven to support early brain development. Doctors and families tell us that the hope and joy provided by Reach Out and Read is palpable. And so hope is a vital part of what Reach Out and Read does for children, families, and communities.
 
GiveBIG is another pathway toward hope. It is a way that we can all come together on May 3rd to support non-profits providing pathways of hope across Washington State. You don't have to wait until May 3rd. Schedule your donation now to support Reach Out and Read, helping build hope and improve outcomes for over 100,000 children and families across this great state. Thank you for your support.
 
Jill Sells, MD and the Reach Out and Read Washington Team
IN THIS ISSUE
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Together We Can GiveBIG!
  
Reach Out and Read Washington State is participating in the Seattle Foundation's annual GiveBIG, a one-day, online charitable giving event that allows us to come together to help those in our community who need it most.

Your gift to Reach Out and Read helps doctors across Washington State teach parents how to support early literacy at home, provide families with books to read together, and support critical brain development during children's first five years.

You don't have to wait until May 3rd to GiveBIG. You can make your pledge online NOW. Just click here to schedule your donation today and your pledge will be processed on May 3.

All donations up to $2,500 per donor will be eligible for the "stretch pool" allowing us to receive a percentage of matching funds. The more donations we receive, the bigger the bonus!
 
Thank you from all of us at Reach Out and Read Washington State!
Dr. Maxine Hayes (L) and Senator Rosa Franklin (R)

Action For Equity Honored

Congratulations to Dr. Maxine Hayes and Senator Rosa Franklin! These two amazing Washington women were honored for their tireless work on behalf of health equity in Washington State. Health, education, and equal opportunity are all intertwined, and so these efforts have helped form the basis of what we need to move toward equitable outcomes for all children in Washington.
 
The Foundation for Healthy Generations honored Senator Rosa Franklin, the first black woman elected to the Washington State Senate, for her contributions to creating eduring health equity through public policy in Washington State. Former Washington State Health Officer Dr. Maxine Hayes was honored for her contributions to creating enduring health equity through public health practice. The awards were followed by a panel discussion, "The Frontiers of Health Equity: Past, Present & Future."

Check out Senator Franklin and Dr. Hayes' acceptance speeches below!

Tulalip Tribes Support Reach Out and Read

Thank you, Tulalip Tribes, for a generous contribution to support Reach Out and Read programs! Their support helps doctors deliver our evidence-based program to families at tribal clinics. The Tulalip Tribal Health Clinic was the second Native American-focused Reach Out and Read program in Washington, and has been supporting families and giving books to children since 2002. There are now 17 tribal Reach Out and Read programs in Washington.
  
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 birth through 5 years. Reach Out and Read supports parents as their child's first teacher and helps children be ready for kindergarten. 
 
Through 192 programs in 31 counties, 1,600 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.