[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 51 (Wednesday, April 14, 1999)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E652]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




SALUTING INTERFAITH MEDICAL CENTER--BROOKLYN, NEW YORK'S REACH AND READ 
                                PROGRAM

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                          HON. EDOLPHUS TOWNS

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, April 14, 1999

  Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to salute the Interfaith Medical 
Center (IMC)--Brooklyn, New York's Reach Out and Read Program. Reach 
Out and Read is a Pediatric early literacy program developed at Boston 
City Hospital in 1989 by a collaboration of pediatricians and early 
childhood educators. The Reach Out and Read program makes literacy a 
part of pediatric care, by having pediatricians in the out-patient 
setting encouraging parents to read aloud to their children, and by 
giving their patients (between the ages of 6 months and 5 years) books 
to take home with them.
  Pediatricians are trained to counsel parents about the importance of 
reading with young children, offering age-appropriate tips and 
encouragement. Volunteer readers are in the clinic to read aloud to 
children as they wait for their appointments, thereby encouraging to 
learn to love books!
  Through Reach Out and Read, every child starts school with a home 
library of at least 10 beautiful children's books, and parents are 
helped to understand that reading aloud is the most important thing 
they can do to help their children learn to love books.
  Interfaith Medical Center in Brooklyn, New York has been working to 
begin its Reach Out and Read program for the past 15 months. On Monday, 
April 12, 1999, Interfaith officially opened its program in the 
Pediatrics clinic at their St. John's site. Presently, over 7,000 books 
have been obtained through grants and donation. Interfaith is prepared 
to keep this program going for many years * * * in addition to working 
toward expanding it into all of their community clinics. Mr. Speaker, 
please join me in saluting Interfaith Medical Center for its unwavering 
commitment to preparing our children for a bright future.

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