Reading Round the Clock
We are an organization based in the mid-peninsula that collaborates with Fair Oaks Health Center in Redwood City, other clinics, and local organizations. With the help of these organizations, we intend to increase access to early learning and literacy opportunities for under-served children. We started mid-2016 and have continued to expand throughout the mid-peninsula.
Unfortunately, children who grow up with fewer resources do not have access to books and high-quality enrichment programs. A national program called Reach Out and Read gives free books to pediatricians to give books at every appointment for kids between the ages of 6 months - 5 years of age. This program has shown to increase the hours of reading at home between a child and their parent.
Like other clinics, Fair Oaks provides free books for children between the age six months – 5 years through Reach Out and Read. However, we do not offer any age, gender, culturally relevant books or reading materials for children over five years old. We hope to encourage daily reading and active literacy development in children six years - 18 years of age at Fair Oaks and other clinics in the Bay area. We want to continue to foster a love for reading with ALL children during their appointments.
We decided to take on this project as we felt that every child deserves the opportunity to read and have access to books which will help with school readiness.
The purpose of creating Reading Round the Clock is to expand the national program Reach out and Read Program to every child seen for a pediatric visit at our clinic. To offer every child culturally relevant books and reading materials, we are working with local organizations and libraries for book donations. As an organization we not only work with clinics but other companies that focus on closing the literacy gap. We also turn to non-profits to provide us with money to buy books.
Creating a library at every clinic is the first step needed to spread the love of reading among children.