Last week, Scribble got a very special package in the mail:
His very first book from the Read to Me Library, courtesy of the Ferst Foundation for Childhood Literacy!
The Ferst Foundation is an organization in Georgia that encourages literacy by sending children one book per month from birth to five years of age (for non-Georgia residents, I have a link to a nationwide program at the end of this post). The Ferst Foundation sends books to children regardless of their income, race, religion, or gender; the program has no qualifications for registration except that the child live in a participating county. The books are simply intended to help parents instill a love of reading in their children from birth forward.
I was struck by some of the information provided with the first book we received. As an English teacher, I naturally love to read and want my son to share my enthusiasm. But these statistics were sobering:
Did you know? 85% of a child’s core brain structure is formed by age 3. Vocabulary development by age 3 is a predictor of reading achievement by third grade. Children often enter school behind their peers because they experience low literacy levels at home. This readiness gap persists and gets wider as children age….According to the Annie Casey Foundation: Children from high income families-by age 4-hear a total of 32 million more words spoken in their homes than children from low-income families.
Research shows that the Read to Me program is having an impact in the communities it serves. Children who graduated from the program outperformed the rest of the state in every category of Georgia’s CRCT (Criterion Referenced Competency Test).
I hesitated to sign our son up for this program. We are very lucky to be able to afford books, and our family members frequently give Scribble books as gifts. But I wanted Scribble to be a part of the program because I love the idea of everyone in the community, regardless of their income or background, reading the same books. I love that these books are curated by some of the keenest minds in our region. I want him to be a part of a collective movement that is impacting our state. Being a member of the program is a monthly reminder of the importance of promoting childhood literacy. Now that we are members we can encourage others in our state to sign up, and we can contribute to the program by donating money or volunteering with a community action team.
I know this is a Georgia program and, as such, may not mean much for those of you living elsewhere! Fortunately, a nationwide program does exist: The Imagination Library. Check it out and let me know if you decide to sign up! And please pass the word to any families who would benefit from a program like this one.
honeydew / 7968 posts
I wish we had one in our area. I joined imagination library and got a few books, but then they said they were no longer covering my area.
blogger / nectarine / 2608 posts
It is sobering, isn’t it? Something I’m very passionate about. Ellie is reading at a 3-5th grade level in first grade, and was not an “early” reader at all. And most of the professionals who work with her say that she has a harder time than many other kids because of attentional defecits. I firmly believe she is such an excellent reader becuase of all the reading we did to her when she was smaller, and even now. Reading to your children is a wonderful thing. I think it’s wonderful that there is a specific state program to foster literacy.
pomelo / 5298 posts
Imagination Library doesn’t cover our area and there isn’t a program in place. It’s unfortunate, but until such time we will just keep plugging along reading as much as we can. Thanks for sharing.
GOLD / wonderful coconut / 33402 posts
This is a great program. I am going to sign up! Thanks!
blogger / wonderful cherry / 21616 posts
One of my favorite things about my son’s doctor office is that they provide us with a developmentally appropriate book at each well child visit. I love it!
Many doctors I talk to say that reading to your child is the single most important thing you can do for their development. We try to read every day.
We don’t have any programs like this in our area, however like you, we feel extremely fortunate to be able to afford the luxury of books.
GOLD / cantaloupe / 6703 posts
My county isn’t covered by the Imagination program, but our dr’s office gives LO a book at her well child visits. They start at the 1 year appt, but I wish they started even earlier.
honeydew / 7687 posts
@Mrs. Pen: @MaisyMay: that is so neat that they give books out!
I was going to mention the Imagination Library but you already did! Yay books.
coffee bean / 42 posts
Such a great program. I checked it out but it is not covered in our area. This has certainly inspired me to find a similar type of service in our area
@Mrs. Pen: That’s the coolest doctor’s office ever!
guest
We appreciate the love from this wonderful blog but we wanted to point out that Ferst Foundation is not affiliate with the Imagination Library. We do not send Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library books but our very own Read to Me Library. Our partnership with DPIL ended in May 2012 so those communities that don’t see Imagination Library in your area you may very well have Ferst Foundation! We want to be in every county in Georgia! Visit us at http://www.ferstfoundation,.org for more information and Read, Read, Read!