The Odessa Brown Children’s Clinic in Seattle, Washington, is a perfect match to The Kids Need to Read Foundation. We both understand the importance of reading and want to help get books into the hands of children. Kids Need to Read has formed a partnership with the Odessa Brown Children’s Clinic to do just that.
Odessa Brown gives books to every child who comes in for a well child check-up. Not only do they give a book to the patient, but also to any siblings who are with them. The clinic receives partial funding from the national Reach Out and Read program, but due to massive budget cuts, it is not enough. The Kids Need to Read Foundation is working with the Odessa Brown Children’s Clinic to supply books to all children who come in for a well child check-up, as well as any acute visits. To start, the foundation is going to be giving the clinic 2,400 books annually. That number will grow, as we do, to 3,600 books annually. We have already donated one thousand twenty-five books to the clinic this year!
Odessa Brown was so thrilled by our commitment to help them, that they shared their excitement with all the employees at the hospital. Following is the article they published in their October 2008 newsletter:
The Kids Need to Read Foundation Supports Odessa Brown
Updated on October 26, 2008The Kids Need to Read Foundation has committed to providing Odessa Brown with continual donations and support. In April 2008 they donated 440 books for middle and teen readers, and then they gave an additional 585 more young adult books in October 2008, totaling $7,000. Donors like Kids Need to Read are vital to Odessa Brown and the community they serve, and directly help to ensure that all of Odessa Brown’s patients leave with a book in hand.
The Kids Need to Read Foundation is thrilled to support the Odessa Brown Children’s Clinic in their efforts to provide exemplary service to their community. When Kids Need to Read learned about the community literacy-promoting efforts of the children’s clinic, they jumped at the chance to help.
Since 2001, Odessa Brown has been collaborating with the national literacy program Reach Out and Read, which provides new books for children ages 6 months to 5 years who come to the clinic for well child checks. Following the expansion of Reach Out and Read, in an effort to serve the entire family, there is a great need for donations to pass along to Odessa’s older patients and their families. Upon hearing this, Kids Need to Read was inspired to get involved.
The Kids Need to Read Foundation raises funds to send exciting new books to under-funded schools and libraries across the United States. The organization also sends books to nonprofit institutions that give books directly to children. Their mission is to encourage a life-long love of reading in children of all ages. For more information please visit www.kidsneedtoread.org.
Kids Need to Read is proud to be working with such a wonderful group of people. We commend the Odessa Brown Children’s Clinic for their commitment to children and the community they serve. We look forward to helping them achieve their worthy goal!
