Creating Moments that Matter

Reach Out and Read RI is building a world where every child is read to every day!

Our goal is to support all families with young children by offering free books and guidance from medical professionals on fostering nurturing relationships through shared reading.

We partner with medical professionals across RI to encourage families to read together every day as they build strong relationships and practice early literacy skills.

Reach Out and Read Rhode Island

Reach Out and Read Rhode Island is an evidence-based program that incorporates books into well-child visits and is the only literacy program endorsed by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

How does it work? During a child's wellness visit, reading together is encouraged for healthy growth and development. Medical providers also use books for developmental screening and model to caregivers how to engage with the book and their child.

Families take home a new book - at no cost to the family or providers - starting at the first well-care visit through age five, helping build a home library of books.

More than 80% of a child’s brain is formed during their first three years, and what they experience during this window can irreversibly affect how their brain develops. Attention and nurturing from a loving parent or caregiver supports healthy brain development—and one of the best ways to engage young children is to read books together.

Spending time together while reading aloud helps to create strong parent-child bonds and promotes healthy brain development. Children who are read to more often have improved language and listening skills, experience stronger emotional connections to their loved ones, and gain a lifelong love of reading.

About RORRI

We make reading aloud part of pediatric care so that families make reading a bedtime routine at home.

Learn About Us

Our Impact

109,712 well-child visits last year where a new book and literacy guidance materials were given
443 trained medical providers serving RI families
69 medical sites throughout our state

See Our Impact

Support Us

We serve 50,000 children and provide 100,000 books each year with support from the Rhode Island community.

Make A Difference

Latest Updates

A Morning of Inspiration, Community, and the Joy of Reading

Thank you to everyone who joined us for our Spring Breakfast on Thursday, April 30! We were grateful to gather in community and be inspired by two incredible guests: keynote speaker Kari Kurto from The Reading League, who shared valuable insight into the science of reading and supporting children’s literacy, and award-winning author and illustrator Oge Mora, who opened the event with a joyful reading of Thank You, Omu!.

We’re so thankful to all who attended and helped make the morning so special. Be sure to click the button below to visit the event page and view photos from the Spring Breakfast!

Event Information

Upcoming Events

Free Family Fun Awaits at READ and ROMP at Roger Williams Park & Carousel!

Join Reach Out and Read Rhode Island and Neighborhood Health Plan of RI for READ and ROMP, a free family literacy event on Saturday, June 6, 2026, from 11 AM–1 PM at Roger Williams Park & Carousel. Enjoy stories, crafts, games, a story walk, free books, snacks, and carousel rides. Best for children ages 7 and under, but all are welcome. Rain or shine!

Make plans to attend READ and ROMP! Learn more about the activities, location, and what to expect.