READ TO GROW INC
53 SCHOOL GROUND ROAD, BRANFORD, CT 06405 readtogrow.org

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Organizations Filed Purposes: OUR MISSION IS TO PROMOTE LANGUAGE SKILLS AND LITERACY FOR CHILDREN, BEGINNING AT BIRTH, AND TO SUPPORT PARENTS AS THEIR BABIES' FIRST TEACHERS. OUR VISION IS THAT EVERY FAMILY, REGARDLESS OF INCOME AND PRIMARY LANGUAGE, WILL UNDERSTAND THE CRITICAL IMPORTANCE OF EARLY CHILDHOOD LITERACY AND WILL TAKE AN ACTIVE ROLE IN THEIR CHILD'S READING DEVELOPMENT. WE WANT ALL CHILDREN IN CONNECTICUT TO HAVE BOOKS OF THEIR OWN.

TO PROMOTE LANGUAGE SKILLS AND LITERACY FOR CHILDREN, BEGINNING AT BIRTH, AND TO SUPPORT PARENTS AS THEIR BABIES' FIRST TEACHERS.

READ TO GROW OPERATES THROUGHOUT CONNECTICUT, GIVING MORE THAN 2 MILLION CHILDREN'S BOOKS IN ITS 20 YEARS AND EDUCATING PARENTS AND CHILDCARE PROVIDERS - THROUGH WORKSHOPS AND OTHER INFORMATION - ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF DEVELOPING CHILDREN'S LANGUAGE SKILLS AND LITERACY. EACH YEAR THE ORGANIZATION DISTRIBUTES MORE THAN 180,000 BOOKS THROUGH THREE PROGRAMS: THE FLAGSHIP PROGRAM BOOKS FOR BABIES; THE BOOKS FOR KIDS PROGRAM; AND EARLY STEPS TO SCHOOL SUCCESS-NEW HAVEN. ALONG WITH STAFF, READ TO GROW RELIES ON MORE THAN 100 REGULAR VOLUNTEERS WHO WORK IN THE PARTNER HOSPITALS AND AT OUR OFFICE/WAREHOUSE.BOOKS FOR BABIES - THIS PROGRAM OPERATES THREE DISTINCT PROJECTS: THE PRENATAL PROJECT, THE NEWBORN PROJECT AND THE NEW NICU PROJECT. THE PRENATAL PROJECT FOCUSES ON DISTRIBUTING FREE CHILDREN'S BOOKS AND INFORMATION ON BRAIN DEVELOPMENT AND LITERACY TO PREGNANT WOMEN RECEIVING CARE AT COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTERS. THE NEWBORN PROJECT OPERATES IN 15 PARTNER HOSPITALS, GIVING ALL MOTHERS WITH NEWBORNS LITERACY PACKETS, WHICH HAVE BOOKS FOR THEIR BABIES AND PARENTAL GUIDES ON HOW TO SUPPORT INFANTS' LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT. TRAINED VOLUNTEERS VISIT THE FAMILIES TO TALK ABOUT BABY BRAIN DEVELOPMENT AND PRE-LITERACY DEVELOPMENT AND TO ANSWER QUESTIONS. ABOUT 60% OF CONNECTICUT'S FAMILIES WITH NEWBORNS ARE REACHED THROUGH THIS PROGRAM, WHICH ALSO OFFERS FREE FOLLOW-UPS WITH MORE BOOKS. IN SPRING 2020, READ TO GROW LAUNCHED A PARTNERSHIP WITH CONNECTICUT CHILDREN'S NICU TO PROVIDE CHILDREN'S BOOKS FOR PARENTS TO READ TO THEIR BABIES ADMITTED TO THE NICU. READ TO GROW SELF-PUBLISHED A BOOK, "WELCOME TO THE WORLD!" IN 2012 AND HAS BEEN PURCHASING AND DISTRIBUTING COPIES THROUGH THE BOOKS FOR BABIES PROGRAM. THE BOOK WAS WRITTEN EXPRESSLY FOR READ TO GROW AND WAS ILLUSTRATED BY MARSELA HAJADINIJAK-KREC OF CROATIA. IT OFFERS SIMPLE MESSAGES OF CELEBRATING FAMILIES AND BABIES: LEARNING STARTS AT BIRTH; THE PARENT IS THE CHILD'S FIRST TEACHER; AND IT IS NEVER TOO EARLY TO BEGIN READING TO A BABY.BOOKS FOR KIDS - THE ORGANIZATION GIVES MORE THAN 140,000 BOOKS ANNUALLY, MANY THROUGH FORMAL COLLABORATIONS WITH OTHER NONPROFITS ALREADY SERVING LOW-INCOME AND AT-RISK FAMILIES. THE PROGRAM HAS 46 OF THESE PARTNERSHIPS, SOME OF WHICH CALL FOR DELIVERY OF THOUSANDS OF BOOKS EACH YEAR AND WORKSHOPS FOR FAMILIES WITH YOUNG CHILDREN. MANY OF THE CLIENTELE ARE BILINGUAL SPANISH-ENGLISH OR MONOLINGUAL SPANISH. IN RESPONSE TO REQUESTS, BOOKS FOR KIDS ALSO GIVES FREE CHILDREN'S BOOKS TO HUNDREDS OF TEACHERS, DOCTORS' OFFICES, OTHER HEALTHCARE AND CHILDCARE PROVIDERS, AND OTHER NONPROFITS, INCLUDING OTHER LITERARY AGENCIES. DUE TO COVID-19, BOOKS FOR KIDS LAUNCHED A NEW PROGRAM FOCUS MATCHING FREE BOOK DISTRIBUTION WITH MEAL AND FOOD DISTRIBUTION AROUND THE STATE. THANKS TO THE SUPPORT OF SENATOR CHRIS MURPHY, RJ JULIA BOOKSELLERS AND THOUSANDS OF INDIVIDUAL SUPPORTERS, READ TO GROW WAS ABLE TO SAFELY DISTRIBUTE OVER 40,000 BRAND NEW BOOKS TO CHILDREN PICKING UP GRAB AND GO MEALS AT SCHOOLS AND FOOD PANTRIES IN NEW HAVEN, BRIDGEPORT, NORWALK, MIDDLETOWN, WATERBURY, AND WINDHAM COUNTY. EARLY STEPS TO SCHOOL SUCCESS - IN EARLY 2019, THE ORGANIZATION LAUNCHED A THIRD PROGRAM IN PARTNERSHIP WITH SAVE THE CHILDREN FOR AT-RISK YOUNG CHILDREN IN NEW HAVEN. IT IS A LITERACY-PROMOTING PROGRAM DESIGNED BY SAVE THE CHILDREN FOR CHILDREN PRE-BIRTH TO AGE 5. EARLY STEPS INVOLVES HOME VISITS, PARENT-CHILD PLAY GROUPS, AND SCHOOL-BASED BOOK EXCHANGES. IT AIMS TO PREPARE CHILDREN FOR SCHOOL SUCCESS, BEGINNING THEIR FIRST DAYS OF KINDERGARTEN. IN 2020, EARLY STEPS EXPANDED TO 4 SCHOOLS IN NEW HAVEN, AND COORDINATORS FOR THE PROGRAM SERVE OVER 130 FAMILIES.BRIDGEPORT BOOK FESTIVAL - IN WINTER 2019, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH SENATOR CHRIS MURPHY AND RJ JULIA BOOKSELLERS, READ TO GROW LAUNCHED THE BRIDGEPORT BOOK FESTIVAL AS THE MANAGING SPONSOR. THE FIRST LIVE EVENT FOR THE BRIDGEPORT BOOK FESTIVAL WAS SCHEDULED TO OCCUR IN MAY 2020 BUT WAS RESCHEDULED TO SPRING 2021 DUE TO COVID-19. THE GOAL OF THE BRIDGEPORT BOOK FESTIVAL IS TO CELEBRATE LITERACY AND TO ELEVATE THE CITY OF BRIDGEPORT AS A MUST-STOP DESTINATION FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES FROM AROUND THE REGION. WHILE THE FIRST FESTIVAL HAD TO BE RESCHEDULED, THE PARTNERS WERE ABLE TO DISTRIBUTE THOUSANDS OF BRAND NEW BOOKS TO CHILDREN IN KINDERGARTEN-8TH GRADE AT MEAL DISTRIBUTION SITES AROUND THE CITY SINCE THE PANDEMIC BEGAN.

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