Reach Out and Read works directly with pediatric care providers to share the lifelong benefits that result from parents reading aloud with their young children every day.  Leveraging the near-universal reach of the pediatric well-child visit, Reach Out and Read uses children’s books and shared reading to support parents and caregivers in fostering healthy relations with their infants and young children, from birth through 5 years old. Through our evidence-based model, we train pediatric primary care providers to talk with parents and caregivers about the importance of reading aloud together, share practical tips to promote early literacy, and provide the child with a new book to take home at each well-child visit.

By giving every young child a foundation for success, Reach Out and Read strengthens families and communities and helps to combat the effects of income inequality and other disparities, while developing a lifelong love of reading in children.  Reach Out and Read has the greatest reach of all early literacy programs.  We are a national network with 27 regional affiliates, more than 36,000 medical providers, and 6,200 participating sites in all 50 US states.  In FY23, we served 4.4 million children and provided 7.1 million new books at 8.8 million well-child visits.  More than half of the children we serve are BIPOC and more than three-fourths are from low-income families. We aim to positively transform the development of every child and family through shared reading and healthy early relationships.