Reach Out and Read-Alabama reaches 100 sites statewide, expanding access to early literacy and family support through pediatric care
Milestone comes as the program celebrates 20 years of impact across Alabama, connecting more families with books, guidance, and trusted support during early childhood
Reach Out and Read-Alabama has reached a major milestone: The nonprofit now partners with 100 participating clinical sites statewide, expanding access to books, early literacy guidance, and meaningful family support through pediatric care. Over the past year alone, the program has reached more than 92,000 children through 247,000 well- child visits, distributing nearly 178,000 books to families across the state.
The milestone comes as Reach Out and Read-Alabama hits its 20th anniversary, celebrating how the program has grown from a small network of clinical partners into a statewide effort reaching families in communities across Alabama.
“This moment is a powerful reflection of what’s possible when clinicians, community partners, and families come together around a shared goal,” said Amy Crosby, Program Director of Reach Out and Read-Alabama. “For 20 years, we’ve seen how small moments, like reading together, can strengthen relationships, support early brain development, and set children on a path toward success in school and in life. This milestone allows us to reach even more families with books and guidance about the importance of early literacy.”
This approach is especially important as Alabama, like many states, continues to face challenges around school readiness and early childhood outcomes. Since its founding in Alabama in 2006, Reach Out and Read has grown into a statewide network that supports children and caregivers during the first five years of life, a period when brain development is at its peak and early relationships lay the foundation for lifelong health and learning.
By embedding literacy into pediatric care, a setting nearly all young children access, the program is able to reach families early and consistently, regardless of location or circumstance.
“During well-child visits, I continue to see the magic that happens when a pediatrician places a book in a child’s hands,” said Dr. Norma D. Mobley, MD, FAAP, president of the Alabama, Chapter-American Academy of Pediatrics. “A baby studies bright images with wonder. A toddler points eagerly at a familiar character. A caregiver leans closer, instinctively engaging in conversation sparked by the story. These moments are small in scale, yet profound in impact. Reach Out and Read-Alabama’s growth ensures more children have access to this transformative model from the very beginning, regardless of geography or circumstance.”