Nemours recently received a second book donation from Success Won’t Wait totaling in the hundreds for the ongoing book sale project. Funds raised through this endeavor go to support the Reach Out and Read program currently in place at Nemours’ numerous clinics statewide.

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. Doctors, nurse practitioners, and other medical professionals incorporate Reach Out and Read into regular pediatric checkups.

The Reach Out and Read program 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 actually 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.