Yes, I will help turn the page in a child's story!
with Reach Out and Read Illinois
A page that remains true to our mission to serve new generations of children supported by their families, pediatricians, and communities.
...a page that highlights the powerful act of using a children’s book in the exam room.
...a page that tells the story of our commitment to those who are facing extreme hardship right now.
This isn’t a new story. After years of statewide growth, in pediatric clinics across Illinois the Reach Out and Read (ROR) program is a bright spot. Not only do we use children’s books as a tool in the exam room, but we are building stronger relationships with families and buffering toxic stress. In our clinics, children and families walk out with a clean bill of health—and sometimes their very first book.
And it’s working.
Families that visit ROR clinics report better relationships with their pediatricians and greater trust in the information received during well-child visits. Plus, ROR families are 2.5x more likely to read with their children and children show stronger language skills and larger vocabularies.
We are turning the page to a renewed focus on serving Illinois families that need our program the most –the homes that don’t have children’s books readily available on their bookshelves and the families that don’t always see themselves in the stories. In 2024-25 we served more than 180,000 children statewide, but there are still too many children who don’t get the ROR experience.
Your gift this season will help many more Illinois children and families receive ROR books and a strengthened bond to their caregivers, providers, and communities.
