Raising Readers Reach Out and Read Program   Primary Objectives: Every child from birth to 5-years-old gets a strong start in caring relationships, language development, and literacy experiences Families know how to help their children develop language, literacy, and relationships Community groups, parents, physicians and other providers all share the responsibility for giving children a “smart start” Raising Readers Contributions: Raising Readers provides the board books which physicians give to children with help from community partners, grants, and national Reach Out and Read . Raising Readers volunteer readers donate their time to read with children and visit with parents while they are waiting. We establish Raising Readers Reading Corners with quality children’s books and comfortable seating in public reception areas. Raising Readers members share reliable information about early language and literacy development with parents, professionals and the general public.   Physicians Contributions: Primary care physicians are in an excellent position to influence the attitudes and behaviors of parents who are their child’s first teachers. At every check-up from 6 months to 5 years physicians give each child an attractive, new board book to take home. Then they encourage parents to read aloud daily at home to build their child’s skills, enhance parent-child relationships, and spark a joy of reading. Physicians also support the volunteer readers in the reception area and help provide children’s books in each of the exam rooms. The physicians in the McFarland Clinic Pediatric Department have become leaders in educating parents about early literacy and recommending that families make reading with their children a daily habit. Now the Reach Out and Read program is being expanded to include other primary care physicians and clinics that serve poor families in the area. By working together and taking advantage of well-child check-ups from birth to 5 years, we can reach parents of approximately 9,000 young children each year to help them start reading together habits.