Recognizing "Reach Out and Read Rhode Island Day" on March 3, 2026 in the State of Rhode Island

WHEREAS, Reach Out and Read Rhode Island is a local, nonprofit organization dedicated to building a world where every child is read to every day by supporting families with young children through the power of shared reading and early literacy; and

WHEREAS, The organization partners with pediatricians and family medicine providers across Rhode Island to encourage families to read aloud every day starting at birth as a way to build early literacy skills, strengthen family bonds and empower parents to be their child's first and most important teacher; and

WHEREAS, Families participating in the Reach Out and Read RI program receive developmentally appropriate, new books at no cost during well-child visits from birth through age five, helping to build home libraries and spark early developmental, language, and emotional skills; and

WHEREAS, Reading aloud with young children not only promotes language acquisition and cognitive development but also strengthens parent-child bonds and supports healthier brain growth during the critical early years of life; and

WHEREAS, Reach Out and Read RI has served Rhode Island since 1999, currently partnering with nearly 70 medical sites statewide and a network of over 400 medical clinicians, providing books and literacy guidance at more than 100,000 well-child visits last year alone and serving 50,000 children; and

WHEREAS, Recognizing and celebrating Reach Out and Read RI Day on March 3 raises public awareness of the importance of early childhood literacy, encourages community support for family reading, and honors the dedicated pediatric partners and volunteers who serve Rhode Island’s children; now, therefore be it

RESOLVED, That this House of Representatives of the State of Rhode Island hereby commemorates March 3, 2026, as "Reach Out and Read Rhode Island Day" in the State of Rhode Island in recognition of the vital role that early literacy, family reading, and community engagement play in the healthy development and lifelong success of Rhode Island’s youngest residents; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and hereby is authorized and directed to transmit a duly certified copy of this resolution to Aimee Falso, Executive Director of Reach Out and Read RI.