This grant will be used for the purchase of books, marketing, and advocacy of the Raising Readers program in Laramie County. The books are purchased by the program at cost (approximately $2.00 per book). $80,000 is needed each year to serve Laramie County alone which currently is only enough to serve about half of the population between the ages of 2 months to 5 years.
The books are distributed by healthcare providers who 'prescribe' age appropriate books (for children between the ages of 2 months up to 5 years) for the parents or guardians to read for at least 15 minutes each day. Well child health visits are the doctor's chance to stress the importance of reading aloud and the effect it has on brain development for each child, as well as provide key suggestions to parents on how to read with their child.
For nearly 8 years, Cheyenne Community Rotaract (sponsored by the Rotary Club of Cheyenne) and some Rotarians from the Rotary Club of Cheyenne have supported the program by receiving, sorting, and distributing the books to providers across Laramie County.This grant will expand Rotary's partnership with the program and increase local Rotarian involvement. We expect 25 Rotarians to be hands-on involved in this project. Furthermore, it is a goal of the grant to expand the number of healthcare providers participating in the program and reach other populations across Laramie County that typically don't go to clinics.
Link to Raising Readers in Wyoming: http://raisingreadersinwyoming.org/
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