News

Prairie du Chien and Fennimore, WI – The Crossing Rivers Health Foundation provided the first year's funding to purchase books for the Crossing Rivers Health Clinics' Reach Out and Read program. The program encourages families to read out loud and provides age-appropriate books that can be taken home after well-child visits for children ages 6 months through 5 years.

"We're proud to play a role in the wellness of our young people, by investing in this important literacy program," said Sasha Dull, Chief Development Officer. "This program gets to the very core of our mission, by touching upon the foundational building blocks of young minds, literacy and wellness."

Nurturing from a loving parent or caregiver in the early years supports healthy brain development that forms the foundation for success later at school and in life - and one of the best ways of engaging with young children is through looking at books together. Even the youngest baby loves to be held close and hear the voice of Mom or Dad as they read a book aloud.

It is widely accepted that reading aloud is the single most important researched activity leading to language development and promotes early literacy skills such as:

• Book handling and naming
• Understanding how stories work
• Recognition of sounds and letters
• Knowledge of a wide range of vocabulary
• Ability to listen

Reading aloud:

• Builds motivation, curiosity and memory
• Helps children cope during times of stress or anxiety
• Take children to places and times they have never been - enlarging and enhancing their worlds
• Creates a positive association with books and reading

The Crossing Rivers Health Clinic and the Reach Out and Read organization believe that all families should have the tools and information needed to make reading aloud a daily routine. To learn more about this program, visit crossingrivers.org/reachoutandread. To schedule an appointment at the Crossing Rivers Health Clinic in Prairie du Chien or Fennimore, call 608.357.2500.