In 2023, the U.S. Surgeon general warned the health effects of loneliness are like smoking fifteen cigarettes a day, and include cardiovascular disease, dementia, stroke, depression, anxiety, and premature death.

Loneliness takes a toll on health.

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Meanwhile, young children whose parents report not reading to their child daily hear 1.4 million fewer words by kindergarten than their counterparts whose parents read them five books a day. That's a big gap! Furthermore, reading on grade level by third grade is crucial because that is when they transition from learning to read to reading to learn. The Obama Foundation says that students who aren't reading proficiently by the end of third grade are at a higher risk for dropping out of school and not being college and career ready. Simply put, they are at risk of struggling.

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But what if there was a prescription to reduce all of these risks, and the side effects of this remedy were only positive? What if the cure made people feel more closely connected to one another and increased joy? And what if it improved memory, expanded vocabulary, developed critical thinking, and resulted in a greater likelihood of pursuing higher education, a better job and higher income in adulthood?

 

Then let’s read together!

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Join the REACH (Reading Establishes A Connection Home) initiative and become part of the solution to some of our biggest challenges - building true relationship connections and fostering a love of reading. It’s simple. Generations read together, and YOU can play an important role in this movement. Together, we can read to REACH each person!

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Everyone can join in, and becoming part of this movement is as easy as 1, 2, 3!

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1. Pick a Reading Buddy and brighten their day with stories and laughter! You'll both enjoy the company and the joy of reading together.

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2. Choose your books and start reading and connecting together. Each month, the REACH guides are sent to subscriber inboxes and will feature one suggested children​'s book with discussion questions and fun activities like crafts, recipes and games designed to coordinate with that book. You can also get creative and come up with activities to share using books you already have and love. 

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3. Schedule regular reading dates and mark them on your calendar. Don't forget to log your reading sessions in your tracker to track your awesome progress!​

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