NEWS  from
 Reach Out and Read
 Washington State
May 2019

Dear Friends,

Welcome to the May issue of our newsletter.

May brings with it the annual GiveBIG day of giving. This year GiveBIG is Wednesday, May 8th. We hope you will consider donating to Reach Out and Read via the GiveBIG website. Donations can be pre-scheduled or you can make them on May 8. You can learn more about GiveBig in the article below.  Thank you to everyone who has already scheduled donations!

Also included in this newsletter:
  • An overview and a link to a New York Times article by Dr. Perri Klass discussing recent research comparing the impact of sharing digital books vs. print books with young children.
  • An announcement of new medical clinics joining Reach Out and Read this month.
Please reach out to us at any time with questions or feedback.

Very best wishes,
Jessica Mortensen 
Executive Director, Reach Out and Read Washington State
IN THIS ISSUE
Support Reach Out and Read in Washington  
Your Amazon shopping benefits Reach Out and Read programs!

Libraries

Will You GiveBig on May 8?

If you live in the Seattle area, you probably know about the one-day GiveBig campaign in support of local non-profits. But you don't have to be a Seattle-area resident to participate. Anyone can GiveBig and support Reach Out and Read by making a donation at the ROR page on the GiveBig platform.

GiveBig 2019 takes place on Wednesday, May 8, but you don't have to wait until then. You can line up your donation to Reach Out and Read on the GiveBig platform today or any day through May 8. If supporting parents as their child's first teacher is something you are passionate about, the GiveBig website even allows you to create a Reach Out and Read fundraiser to share on social media.

Your GiveBig donation to Reach Out and Read will make it possible for more books to get into the hands of more children and families across Washington state. Whether you give big or give small, please support Reach Out and Read on May 8 by giving the gift of books and reading.

Thank you - we appreciate your support!
ThankYou

Print Books are Better than Digital Ones for Reading to Toddlers
New York Times Column by Dr. Perri Klass

In a recent New York Times column, Reach Out and Read's National Medical Director, Dr. Perri Klass, highlights recent research that shows that print books are likely the best choice for reading with young children. 

Researchers asked parents to read similar stories to 2- to 3-year-olds in three different formats: a print book, an electronic book, and an enhanced electronic book (with animation or sound effects). They found that print books generated more back and forth engagement between children and parents. The tablets themselves were a distraction and created a barrier to rich parent-child interactions, which are essential to children's learning and brain development.

We hope you will check out Dr. Klass' column for more details and discussion about this important research into the benefits of sharing print books with young children. 

NewStaff

Welcome New Reach Out and Read Programs
Welcome Coulee Family Medicine and Confluence Health Wenatchee Pediatrics

We are excited to announce that Reach Out and Read Washington has added two new program locations this month!  
  • Coulee Family Medicine is the first Reach Out and Read program in Grand Coulee, WA and our fifth program location in Grant County.
We are thrilled to welcome these two new clinics into the Reach Out and Read Washington family, and want to recognize all of the medical providers and staff who worked so hard to get their programs up and running!
 
You may access a full list of participating clinics in Washington state here.

  About Reach Out and Read Washington State

Reach Out and Read gives young children a foundation for success by incorporating books into pediatric care and encouraging families to read aloud together.  Our evidence- based proven program leverages the influence of children's doctors and makes literacy promotion  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 235 programs in 30 counties, 2,000 medical providers serve an estimated  130,000 children and their families across Washington. Reach Out and Read
Washington State is part of Reach Out and Read, Inc., a national not-for  profit 501(c)3  organization.