About Children's Literacy
Research proves that literate kids not only succeed in school but also live healthier lives. The first five years of a child’s life are when the brain builds its foundation so kids can thrive as adults. That’s why our Children’s Literacy Program integrates books into Pediatric care and across the hospital, all the way from infancy through adolescence.
All children six months to 5-years-old across our entire healthcare system receive a book at every one of their well-child visits.
We distribute over 20,000 books per year to both our patients and their older siblings. We believe all children deserve high-quality, developmentally appropriate and diverse books, and funding allows us to both special access discounts and ensure we are giving kids the highest quality books.
What your generosity can do for Children's Literacy
- $10 purchases four books for our book bin.
- $25 provides a library of 10 books to one child from ages 6-months to 5 years.
- $175 supplies a weeks worth of books for well-child check-ups at our Downtown Pediatric Clinic.
By making a gift today you ensure that we will be able to continue giving new, developmentally and language-appropriate books to children at their well-child visits, as well as expand our program to offer more department-specific special topics books and resources.
Testimonial
I was seeing one of my young patients for his check-up, and his mother needed to share some very difficult things they had gone through in the previous year. This patient is very enthusiastic and energetic and often has a hard time waiting for his turn to talk. I gave my patient a book and was amazed by the way he went through and created a very vivid story based on the pictures in the book. This allowed him to demonstrate some awesome early literacy skills, not to mention an incredible imagination but also gave his mother the opportunity to share what was on her mind. All of us got something important out of the visit with the help of a book.
Hennepin Healthcare physician
