Free Books for Children
By partnering with local health care providers schools, and civic organizations we will strive to reach every family with young children in Wayne County.
Why This Is Important
Studies show that the largest gain in a child’s brain development occurs in the first two years of life. By the age of five, the brain is 90% grown. Children who don’t develop sufficient language skills in those first years are up to six times more likely to experience reading problems in school. When children fall behind in reading, every other aspect of education suffers.
Every Child Can read has distributed over 100,000 books to children in Wayne County since 2012.
Program Goals
- Ensure that children in Wayne County have books in their homes. Research shows that one of the leading indicators of kindergarten readiness is having books in the home.
- Encourage parents to read with their children every day from the day they are born.
- Increase the number of children in Wayne County who are prepared to learn when they start school.
How it Works
Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library
In 2014, thanks to the Wayne County Foundation’s Challenge Match Grant, ECCR received funding to enroll 600 children in Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library. Since that time, every child enrolled received a book in the mail every month from birth to age 5.
Today, nearly 57% of 0-5 year olds in Wayne County, almost 2,200 children, are receiving this wonderful gift each month! The Imagination Library’s research shows that children enrolled in this program are significantly better prepared to learn when they start school than peers not enrolled. One of the leading indicators of school success is having books in the home.
Click the DONATE button at the top of the page to sponsor a child to receive books for $35/year or click below to register a child to receive books through the Imagination Library!
Books At Birth
Every family that gives birth at Reid Health is given a book for their newborn, Read to Your Bunny. Caregivers receive information about the importance of reading to children from birth. The child can also be registered with Every Child Can Read and Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library to receive a book each month in the mail until age 5.
RX for Reading
Through healthcare partnerships, Every Child Can Read provides a FREE book for every well visit for the first 2 years of a child’s life (11 visits). At each visit, the healthcare professional delivers a book and discusses the importance of reading to children from birth. Studies show that families are more influenced by this message when offered in a health care center setting.
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