Post on 05-Apr-2018
7/31/2019 Books From Birth Spring2012
1/6
Books from BirthClosing Reading Gap
er the past year, Shelby County Books from Birth (Books
m Birth) partnered with The Urban Child Institute andemphis City Schools to evaluate the effectiveness of theoks from Birth program. The evaluation is complete andresults are impressive!
ildren who participate in the Books from Birth programnet from these meaningful advantages when comparedh children who do not participate in the program:
reading readiness scores 10% higher whenthey begin kindergarten
better prepared for kindergarten
are read to more and have more literacysupport at home
is research validates that the Books from Birth program hasmeasurable and signicantly positive effect on language read-
ss scores for children in Shelby County, preparing themsuccess in the classroom and beyond.
When a book arrives in the mail, a life changes.
Books from Birth is a real difference maker, and totallyvalidates the money that is being invested on thisprogram from the local, state and private sector.
Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam
Te Book Report
7/31/2019 Books From Birth Spring2012
2/6
Executive DirectorNoraCapwell
Weve gone from being that program that was nsupposed to have worked to that program that h
become the largest, in spite of all the odds.
Memphis Mayor A C Wha
Its grandparents and parents sitting down with their babiesour future, with the next generation and focusing on whaimportant. When we look at the art of reading, its so the foundation of everything that we do.
Shelby County Mayor Mark Lu
xecutive Director
Shelby County Mayor Mark Luttrell, Books from Birth Execu
Director Nora Capwell, and Memphis Mayor A C Wharto
What the best and wisest parent wants for
his own child must be what the community
wants for all its children.
John Dewey
parents, we all want the best for our children. We wantem to get the best education and to receive the greatest
portunities. It doesnt matter who you are or where you
e, we all want the same thing for our children.
elby County Books from Birth wants the best for the children
Shelby County. We want all children to have strong family
nds and arrive at kindergarten prepared to learn, prepared
succeed. That is why we provide books to all children so
ey all can have the same opportunity to succeed.
ooks from Birth is currently helping over 31,000 childrensucceed by providing monthly age-appropriate books
rectly to their home. These children will have the
portunity to experience the benets of stronger reading
bits and higher reading readiness scores when they arrive
kindergarten.
he recent research ndings from The Urban Child
stitute are important not only to the Books from Birth
ogram but to our community. It validates what we have
own all along; the more books in a childs home, the
tter. This is a considerable benet to our children incity like Memphis where only 42% of kindergarteners
ter school prepared to learn.
ooks from Birth is committed to the children in our
mmunity. We will continue to provide monthly books to
children under the age of ve in Shelby County. Imagine
every child in our community had the opportunity to
ve books in their home and could experience the benets
d long-term results of participating in the Books from
rth program?
a community, it is not enough to just want what is best for
child, it is important to want what is best for allchildren.
hank you for your ongoing support!
The statistics are shocking.
Only 42% of Memphis City School children ente
kindergarten prepared to read. Imagine the bene
to our community if all children were enrolle
in the Books from Birth program and could ent
kindergarten prepared to learn?
Nora Capwell
7/31/2019 Books From Birth Spring2012
3/6
Learning starts at home and the Books from Birth books have
denitely been a part of my childs learning success.
Nicole P.
Haiydns Dad says: Its amazing to us at just 27 months old,she can nearly recite her favorite books knowing she cant
read a word of it.
All smiles after receiving a sticker for
signing up for Books from Birth.
Families signed up for Books from Birth at the Memphis
School Pre-K Early Childhood Parent Learning Academ
If you cant read, the doors close, early. And if they close early,
your body grows up and you look like a grown person but the
doors around you are closed. So it is so important that we
learn how to read. Because reading leads to liberation.Sharonda W.
Daniels Mom says:Because of Books from
we have an extensive lib
with a wide range of aut
We also have a variety
topics that we might not
chosen on our own. It has
broadened our interest
Donovan and Alexis Grandmother says: They get so exc
when they receive their books. They ask to open them r
away. Although they are just learning to read they tell the s
so well just by looking at the pictures.
Stories From Our Families
7/31/2019 Books From Birth Spring2012
4/6
Books from Birth Partnerswith Local Area Pediatriciansutreach continues to be the cornerstone of enrolling children
the Books from Birth program. To help ensure that a baby
l receive the entire 60-book library available through the
oks from Birth program, it is important to reach families as
on as possible after their childs birth. Since all newborns are
t automatically enrolled in Books from Birth at their delivering
spital, we have teamed with local pediatricians to create the
rescription to Read initiative to reach families who have not
eviously enrolled their baby in the program.
octors, nurses and ofce staff at participating pediatric practices
l provide Prescription to Read applications to families with
tructions to Receive a book for free every month for your
ld from birth until age ve! Read together 20 minutes daily!
dditionally, the doctor or staff will share the benets of our
ogram, the importance of early literacy and will encouragerents to enroll their child in Books from Birth. To ensure every
bys enrollment, applications are completed during the babys
diatric appointment and Books from Birth volunteers collect
e applications from the doctors ofces.
the rst two months of the pilot program, Memphis Pediatrics
d The Raleigh Group have enrolled over 1,000 children!
he Books from Birth outreach efforts have established incredible
rtnerships with many organizations throughout Shelby County
ho actively enroll children in our program. These agencies
lude:
Volunteer State Health Plan
United Healthcare
Baptist Memorial Hospital
Methodist Hospital
St. Francis Hospital
Regional Medical Center at Memphis
LeBonheur Hospital
Memphis City and Shelby County SchoolsShelby County Head Start
Porter Leath
ith support from The United Way and The Junior League of
emphis, the Prescription to Read program will launch across
elby County in June 2012.
Volunteer Spotlight
For over two years, Sandra Abel has come to the Books f
Birth ofce twice a week and does just about anything. Sancalls on families whose books are returned, goes to the
ofce, makes copies, attends community events, keeps
books organized, registers new families in the program
brings snacks for everyone in the ofce.
Sandra is one of a kind and will do anything she ca
help. Sandra claims that I just get into things and I c
let up. Books from Birth loves having Sandra aroun
get into things and Sandra loves being around to m
sure more books get to more children.
Grace Burgess and Amber Dalehite present a check for $1,
for their community service project benetting Books fr
Birth for Distributive Education Clubs of America.
Sandra Abel is named Chief Volunteer at Books From Bir
Bartlett High School Seniors headed to a national championship
for a community service project for Books from Birth!
7/31/2019 Books From Birth Spring2012
5/6
As a group, children who received books from th
Books from Birth program reached school in strong
shape. In fact, on an 86-point scale of reading
readiness, these kids are eight points higher than
children who were not in the program. This differen
remains even after we adjust for family income an
pre-school experience.
Doug Imig, Ph.D.,
Resident Fellow at The Urban Child Institute
You Can Help!
A donation of $12 can provide a
year of books for one child, or $60
provides books for ve years. With
your support, Books from Birth can
help more children be ready to learn
and ready to succeed.
booksfrombirth.org
Governor and Mrs. Haslam enthusiasticaendorse Books from Birth and the roleplays in preparing our youngest citizens f
school readiness.
This research shows that getting books into the
hands of our youngest Tennesseans makes a
difference. Programs like Books from Birth and
The Imagination Library help to give our children
the foundation they need to excel in school and
ultimately compete for high quality jobs.
Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam
Governor Bill Haslam and First Lady Crissy Haslam at the
Benjamin Hooks Library reading to kindergarteners
from Lucie Campbell Elementary School.
7/31/2019 Books From Birth Spring2012
6/6
Board of DirectorsMatt Robbins Chair
Kim MacQueen Vice-Chair
Ed Stanton Past Chair
Diane Chambliss Secretary
Mack McCaul Treasurer
Staff
Nora Capwell Executive Director
Michelle Weinberg Marketing &
Communications Director
Books from Birth is changing lives by promoting kindergarten readiness andstrengthening family bonds in Shelby County. We greatly appreciate your support!
booksfrombirth.org901-820-4501
Chloee Poag
Betsy Saslawsky
Mary Scheuner
Peter Schutt
Carol Seamons
Teri Shanahan
Bianca Sweeten
Donald Wagner
Hallie Ward
Carmen Blatteis
Kemp Conrad
Sally Walker Davies
David HarrisJohn Jackson
Jenny Mallery Vergos
Katie Midgley
Demetri Patikas
Provide a child a book a month for $12 a year. $60 for 5 Years.
5865 Ridgeway Center Parkway, Suite 300
Memphis, TN 38120
An afliate o Dolly PartonsImagination Library