MILWAUKEE, Wisc. (July 9, 2024) – National nonprofit Reach Out and Read announces its first Honor Roll class, recognizing public policy and corporate partners from all across the country, including one from each category in Wisconsin: Representative Joan Ballweg and Roots and Wings. Reach Out and Read, which focuses on strengthening family bonds and early literacy through daily shared reading, created the Honor Roll to highlight partners whose support has helped the nonprofit reach millions of children nationwide. In FY23, the 35-year-old nonprofit served 4.4 million children, including 146,339 in Wisconsin, between birth to age 5. Nationally, Reach Out and Read provided 7.1 million books through 8.8 million face-to-face interactions, including 259,931 in Wisconsin through 292,679 well-child visits.
“Our new Honor Roll gives us a chance to celebrate those individuals and organizations whose contributions – financial, expertise, or otherwise – have been vital in helping us build a world where every child has the relationships essential to learn and thrive,” said Marty Martinez, CEO of Reach Out and Read. “Each of these honorees has helped our National office or an Affiliate better serve children and families nationwide. We thank them for standing with us to create a foundation of support for those who need it most.”
Each of the 16 Honor Roll members was nominated by staff or medical leadership at a Reach Out and Read Affiliate or in the National office before going through a selection process.
Winners include both entire organizations and individual policymakers.
Roots and Wings has been a longtime supporter of Reach Out and Read Wisconsin, including a gift of $1.8 million that allowed the Affiliate to grow from just three people on staff to 10.
“Roots and Wings has been a longtime supporter of Reach Out and Read Wisconsin,” said Executive Director DeDe Williams. “Their transformational gift of nearly $2 million helped us more than double our staff in order to expand our footprint and reach more families across the state.”
Senator Joan Ballweg has also advocated for Reach Out and Read Wisconsin for years. Because of her persistence, the program is now receiving state funding.
“As a former elementary school teacher, Senator Ballweg understands the importance of reading. After visiting a Reach Out and Read clinic, she understood the power of the program,” said Reach Out and Read Wisconsin Medical Director Dipesh Navsaria. “After seeing the need for additional staff and clinics, she became a legislative champion, helping us secure state funding and grow in a number of ways. We are grateful for her ongoing support.”
Reach Out and Read’s corporate partners are vital to the local communities it serves. Many of them provide funding through donations, sponsorships, or in-kind gifts; offer expertise through governing boards or working committees; represent and elevate Reach Out and Read’s brand; and/or offer ways for employees to engage, like book drives.
The inaugural corporate Honor Roll includes: All About Books; Boise Paper; CareSource Georgia; Elevance Health; HealthPartners (Minnesota), Permanente Medicine-Mid Atlantic Permanente Medical Group; Roots and Wings Foundation (Washington, Wisconsin); Scholastic; Target Circle; and Vanguard Strong Start for Kids (Pennsylvania).
Reach Out and Read’s public policy advocates help Affiliates or National secure public investment, create government partnerships, or aid with writing or passing legislation. These policymakers understand the comprehensive care Reach Out and Read implements and are allies in creating public health solutions that fit their geographies.
The inaugural public policy Honor Roll includes: Colorado State Sens. Jeff Bridges and Barbara Kirkmeyer; Minnesota State Rep. Dave Pinto; New Jersey State Sen. M. Teresa Ruiz; Oklahoma Health Care Authority; and Wisconsin State Sen. Joan Ballweg
CEO Martinez commends both Honor Roll categories.
“The unwavering support of these partners has been instrumental in advancing our mission of promoting early literacy and healthy early relationships,” Martinez said. “Their dedication helps to ensure that every family, regardless of background, has access to resources that set their young children on a strong start to life. By recognizing these contributions by the public and private sectors, Reach Out and Read hopes to inspire others to commit to fostering educational equity and creating brighter futures.”
More than two-thirds of the children served by Reach Out and Read and its Affiliates are from low-income families. Recent research in a peer-reviewed study published in Academic Pediatrics confirms the program’s effectiveness in increasing the frequency of parental reading, which builds skills critical to success in school and beyond. To learn more about Reach Out and Read and the programs offered, visit ReachOutAndRead.org.
###
About Reach Out and Read: As a 50l(c)3 nonprofit, Reach Out and Read leverages the near universal reach of the pediatric well-child visit to support caregivers in fostering healthy relationships with their young children through shared reading. The only national pediatric literacy model endorsed by the American Academy of Pediatrics, Reach Out and Read serves 4.4 million children across every state across the U.S., through 6,200 clinics and the expertise of 36,000 clinicians. Discover more at reachoutandread.org.