Julie Bosma, president and CEO of United Way of Rock River Valley, talks Thursday, Oct. 24, 2024, about a new pediatric literacy initiative done in partnership with local health systems. The announcement was made at Second First Church in Rockford. (Photo by Kevin Haas/Rock River Current)

By Kevin Haas
Rock River Current
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ROCKFORD — United Way of Rock River Valley’s next step to try to improve local literacy rates will bring the effort into doctor’s offices, where medical providers will integrate the importance of reading into routine pediatric checkups.

The nonprofit joined with local health care systems, city officials, state lawmakers and Gov. JB Pritzker to announce the launch of Reach Out and Reach in Winnebago County.

The program, which has served millions of children nationwide, is the only national pediatric literacy model endorsed by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

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Integrating the initiative into local health care systems is supported by Crusader Community Health, UW Health, Mercyhealth and OSF Saint Anthony HealthCare. United Way will also partner with organizations such as the Junior League and Alignment Rockford to help develop record-keeping strategies and provide doctor’s offices with books.

“United Way’s purpose, our reason for existing, is to bring partners and resources and people and dollars and solutions to our most difficult issues in the community,” Julie Bosma, president and CEO of the local United Way, said at a news conference at Second First Church. “Childhood literacy is one of our most difficult issues.”

Two out of three kids are not reading at grade-level by the end of third grade in Winnebago County, data from the Illinois Board of Education shows. The United Way’s goal is flip that statistic in the next decade, with 75% reading at grade level by the end of third grade in the year 2034.

“When we talk about the future of our city, the future of our families and the next generation, literacy should be at the start and at the heart of that conversation,” Mayor Tom McNamara said. “When we support literacy programs we are truly investing in the city of Rockford’s potential. We are building a Rockford that offers all of our residents opportunities, a Rockford where everyone has the skills and the knowledge to lead their life with dignity and purpose.”

Mayor Tom McNamara speaks at a news conference Thursday, Oct. 24, 2024, at Second First Church to celebrate the start of a new Reach Out and Read program in Rockford. (Photo by Kevin Haas/Rock River Current)

United Way started its United for Literacy initiative a little over a year ago to focus on changing the county’s lagging literacy rates. It’s on track to distribute more than 100,000 books by the end of the year. Reach Out and Read is the latest step in that effort.

The program is simple: Doctors and other trained primary medical care providers will use age-appropriate books to promote early literacy and help parents or caregivers establish a daily reading routine. That work will be done during regular well-child visits for ages birth through 5.

There will be 20 Reach Out and Read clinics throughout Winnebago County by early 2025, said Jessica Iasparro, director of community impact for the local United Way.

“We are going to keep adding clinics throughout 2025, so that at the end of 2025 thousands of families in Winnebago County will attend a clinic and their well-child visit will be enhanced by Reach Out and Read,” she said.

The program is getting off the ground with a $300,000 state literacy grant secured by state Sen. Steve Stadelman.

Supporters point to independent studies that show families who have attended Reach Out and Read clinics are two times more likely to read with their children three or more times a week. Children exposed to the program also have higher receptive and expressive language scores and higher Home Literacy Orientation scores.

“Giving children the resources and assistance necessary to establish vital reading skills at a young age is essential to building a foundation of literacy that can support learning in every subject across every interest,” Pritzker said. “Reach Out and Read meets families where they are to provide research-based literacy assistance — the kind of simple but effective outreach this state is proud to help fund.”

Gov. JB Pritzker speaks Thursday, Oct. 24, 2024, at a news conference at Second First Church in Rockford to announce the start of a Reach Out and Read program in Winnebago County. (Photo by Kevin Haas/Rock River Current)

This article is by Kevin Haas. Email him at khaas@rockrivercurrent.com or follow him on X at @KevinMHaas or Instagram @thekevinhaas and Threads @thekevinhaas