The Weld Trust recently awarded nine grants under one of their key funding initiatives, Childhood Literacy. Two of the organizations that The Weld Trust awarded funding to were Reach Out and Read and the Book Trust. These organizations provide books directly to children and their families to improve their literacy skills.
Reach Out and Read serves children from birth to 5 years of age by partnering with pediatric healthcare clinics throughout Weld County. The clinic’s doctors volunteer their time to train on Reach Out and Read’s model and then deliver their program during each well-child visit. The pediatrician uses a developmentally appropriate book to help assess the child’s milestones and instructs the parent or caregiver how to best use the complimentary book at home. Reach Out and Read currently serves 7,450 Weld County children.
The Book Trust provides literacy support to elementary-age students in Greeley-Evans School District 6 to overcome the biggest barrier to literacy with book access. Through the Scholastic Book Order, students choose two to three books they want each month to keep for their home library. Since each child chooses their own books, the Book Trust’s program is engaging and helps young children be excited about reading.
These two programs are part of The Weld Trust’s initiative to improve childhood literacy and provide resources for families.
