November 2015 – Reach Out And Read Kansas City

Giving Tuesday at Reach Out and Read

We invite you to support Reach Out and Read KC on Giving Tuesday, December 1, 2015!

We have a day for giving thanks, two days for getting deals, and now a day for giving back. Since its inaugural year in 2012, Giving Tuesday has grown to become a global day of giving observed on the Tuesday following Thanksgiving and the shopping events, Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Here are some ways you can help Reach Out and Read KC this year on Giving Tuesday:

Make a gift online and mention Giving Tuesday in the “Special Instructions” section.
Click here to donate to Reach Out and Read KC.

Volunteer. Get involved by applying to volunteer in our office or in our clinics throughout the year.
Click here to apply as a volunteer.

Host a book drive. Reach Out and Ready Kansas City is always seeking new and gently-used children’s books to distribute to children in need. What better way to collect these books than by hosting a book drive benefiting Reach Out and Read Kansas City?
Click here to learn more about hosting a book drive.

Post an #UNSELFIE on twitter or Instagram. Take a “selfie” with a captions (or have it on a card in the picture) explaining how or why you are giving to Reach Out and Read. Be sure to use the hashtags #UNselfie and #GivingTuesday and tag us @rorkc.

Volunteers Make it Happen

It was a busy and productive month for Reach Out and Read volunteers. In addition to our devoted crew of waiting room readers, we hosted teams from Farmer’s Insurance and Blue Valley North to our offices to sort and label thousands of books we received recently from Scholastic and First Book. The Farmer’s group was here as part of a service project and team building exercise during a 6 week training course. Students from Blue Valley North were part of a group organized by their teacher, Kaci Beichley, to help instill the lesson that it is important to give back to the community. Visit our website or contact Jenny to learn more about ways your group can have fun while helping make a difference at RORKC.

Books from Reading Is Fundamental and Macy’s

Reach Out and Read Kansas City was able to give children 2,037 books from Reading Is Fundamental thanks to a longstanding partnership with Macy’s. Funds were raised through the hard work of store associates promoting the joy of reading in the greater Kansas City area, and the generosity of Macy’s customers who responded by giving back in support of children’s literacy in their community during the 2015 Be Book Smart campaign.

“Thanks so much for this generous gift which will enable 2,037 children to receive new, developmentally appropriate books at their well-child visits. This donation is truly appreciated!” Janice Dobbs, Book Coordinator, Reach Out and Read Kansas City

The Be Book Smart campaign encouraged Macy’s customers coast-to-coast to give $3 to help provide books for children in their local communities. Through the program, customers received $10 off in-store purchases of $30 or more, plus 20% or 15% off storewide. Macy’s donated 100 percent of every $3 to RIF.

Holiday Book Drive at Barnes & Noble

Once again the fine folks at Barnes and Noble, Oak Park Mall are hosting a holiday book drive for Reach Out and Read KC, going on now through the end of December. The brand new books for this drive were selected by our book coordinator, Janice, and are literally ‘just what the doctor ordered.’ They will be distributed to our clinics and given to children as part of their well-child checkup early next year.

Show your holiday spirit by visiting Barnes and Noble in Oak Park Mall and donate a book (or host a book drive of your own) so that every child in Kansas City can enjoy a book of their own this winter.

Planning on participating? Already donated a book and want to tell us about it? Visit our Facebook Event Page.

Our Parents Report Success

Results from our 2015 annual survey of parents have been tallied and we have good news to share! Of the 1090 families reporting between late August and late October, 99% of families said they received a book at their child’s well-child visit, 94% remember receiving literacy advice from their medical provider, and 83% of parents with children between 6 months and 5 years old say that they read to their children three or more times per week.

Statistics tell us how many books we provide to children, but this self-reporting from parents is true confirmation that we are fulfilling our mission of preparing Kansas City’s youngest children to succeed in school by partnering with doctors to prescribe books and encourage families to read together.