Reach Out and Read Wisconsin was awarded $20,000 from U.S. Venture and is turning to the community to raise more.
The money awarded was one-part $10,000 grant and one-part $10,000 matching gift. This generous gift gives 1,000 children and families a full year of the Reach Out and Read intervention. A portion of U.S. Venture’s gift is being used right now, matching all gifts in June up to $2,500.
“U.S Venture knows the value and importance of early childhood literacy,” said Greg Vandenberg, director of giving and community engagement at U.S. Venture. “Kids learn to read which equips them to learn for the rest of their lives. Reach Out and Read is a critical partner in this work of engaging hospitals and health systems as access points for families.”
The Reach Out and Read program helps integrate reading into pediatric practices, advises families about the importance of reading with their children, provides an opportunity for families to build powerful, lasting bonds, and shares books that serve as a catalyst for healthy childhood development. Children get to leave with a book in hand after each well-child visit from birth to five-years old.
“We are extremely thankful to U.S. Venture for its continued commitment to early literacy and early relational health,” said DeDe Williams, executive director at Reach Out and Read Wisconsin. “U.S. Venture’s dedication will allow so many more children in Wisconsin to build relationships essential to learn and thrive.”
Reach Out and Read Wisconsin has 291 participate sites in medical clinics across Wisconsin, with 32 sites in the greater Fox Valley, serving 48,000 children and families in that area.
Donations can be made online at give.reachoutandread.org/Wisconsin.
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About Reach Out and Read: Reach Out and Read is 501(c)3 nonprofit that gives young children a foundation for success by incorporating books into pediatric care and encouraging families to read aloud together. As the only evidence-based national pediatric model focused on emotional connections endorsed by the American Academy of Pediatrics, Reach Out and Read serves children in all 50 of the United States through 6,000 clinics and 33,000 clinicians. With 291 participating sites in medical clinics across Wisconsin, Reach Out and Read provides more than 146,300 children and families in 58 counties with books and resources to empower parents as their child’s first and best teacher. For more information, visit reachoutandread.org.
About. U.S. Venture: For over 70 years, U.S. Venture, Inc. has been recognized as an innovative leader in the distribution of renewable and traditional energy products, lubricants, tires, parts, and using data-driven insights to manage energy and information in the global movement of goods. U.S. Venture delivers creative, sustainable solutions that give their customers a competitive edge, and enable the company to support the communities in which they live, work, and play. Through the values lived by their family of brands, U.S. Energy, U.S. AutoForce, Breakthrough®, U.S. Lubricants, and IGEN®, U.S. Venture seeks new ways to drive business success while being steadfast in its commitment to making the world a better place.