Our Partners
Reach Out and Read
We are thrilled to share the exciting news of our partnership with Reach Out and Read, a distinguished national nonprofit dedicated to promoting healthy parent-child relationships through shared reading. This collaboration represents a significant step forward in our ongoing mission to enrich early childhood development.
What is Reach Out and Read?
Reach Out and Read supports the nurturing of early parent-child relationships through the power of shared reading. At each routine well-child visit, Reach Out and Read medical providers engage with parents and caregivers, offering guidance on how to use books to connect with their infants and young children. Furthermore, they provide age-appropriate books for families to enjoy together, fostering a lifelong love for reading.
What is Talk From the Start?
Our initiative, Talk from the Start, shares a harmonious mission focused on influencing early childhood development in children from birth to five years old. Both Talk from the Start and Reach Out and Read share the belief that engaging in language-rich activities, particularly through shared reading, significantly enhances learning and language development. Reading together not only promotes healthy brain development but also fosters stronger bonds within families.
Our Shared Mission
Our shared mission is to ensure that every child, regardless of their background or economic circumstances, has a solid foundation for success. Research indicates that approximately one-third of young children, and half of those living in poverty, begin kindergarten without the essential skills needed for academic success. Reading together not only builds literacy but also fosters positive interactions, mitigating the impact of adverse childhood experiences.
“In addition to building literacy, reading together is the kind of positive interaction the AAP says can help counteract adverse childhood experiences that lead to long-term problems in health and well-being.”
Reach Out and Read CEO Marty Martinez
Partners
Reach Out and Read Clinic Locations
Our collaboration extends to over 30 existing pediatric clinics, with plans for expansion statewide.
Donation Information
Please partner with us to bring the gift of literacy to a child in Mississippi! All designated gifts to MCM’s Reach out and Read initiative will support book funding and assist MCM is managing and expanding the program.