State Senator Nan Rich Visits the Reach Out and Read Program at Broward Health Seventh Avenue Family Health Center

 
Fort Lauderdale, FL –  Children visiting Broward Health Seventh Avenue Family Health Center were recently treated to an out-of-the-ordinary story time when State Senator Nan Rich (D-Weston) stopped by to promote awareness of the Reach Out and Read Program.
 
Senator Rich read a variety of stories to more than 20 attentive children that included If You Give a Mouse a Cookie by Laura Joffe Numeroff; David Gets in Trouble by David Shannon; Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed by Eileen Christelow; and How Do Dinosaurs Clean Their Rooms by Jane Yolen and Mark Teague.  Each child also received a hard back book of his/her choice - including Spanish language books - to take home.
 
“It was a joy to participate in the ‘Reach Out And Read’ program at the Seventh Avenue Family Health Center,” said Senator Nan Rich (D-Weston).  “This program not only offers children an early exposure to reading that will ultimately help them to be successful in school, but it also builds excitement about reading among the kids – it was so great to see these children so enthusiastic about reading.”
 
“I am thankful for the support of the physicians and medical staff at the Seventh Avenue Family Health Center who send their youngest patients home with free age and developmentally appropriate books and advice for their parents to read at home to their children each day,” said Susan F. Sims, executive director, Reach Out and Read Florida. “Senator Rich's enthusiasm in reading to the children captured their interest and further enforced the importance of reading aloud to children.  I am very grateful to Senator Rich for her continued advocacy on behalf of children's literacy.”
 
Reach Out and Read (ROR) trains doctors and nurses to advise parents about the importance of reading aloud and to give books to children at pediatric checkups from six months to five years of age, with a special focus on children growing up in poverty.  By building on the unique relationship between parents and medical providers, ROR helps families and communities encourage early literacy skills so children enter school prepared for success in reading. Reach Out and Read serves children at 221 health care locations across the state of Florida, reaching more than 180,000 infants, toddlers, and preschoolers each year.  In Broward County, 16,800 children are served in 15 locations.
 
“Senator Rich’s visit gave us a wonderful opportunity to showcase our dedication to our youngest patients with the Reach Out and Read program as well as the many healthcare services we provide to the community,” said Maxine James-Francis, director, Broward Health Seventh Avenue Family Health Center.  “The children clearly enjoyed their time with Senator Rich.”
 
Broward Health, providing service for more than 50 years, is a nationally recognized system offering world class health care services to our neighbors in South Florida. One of the 10 largest public health systems in the nation, Broward Health includes Broward General Medical Center, North Broward Medical Center, Imperial Point Medical Center, Coral Springs Medical Center, Chris Evert Children’s Hospital, Broward Health Weston and more than 30 facilities of the Community Health Services and Broward Health Physician Group. For more information visit, www.browardhealth.org.

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	Senator Rich Addressing Seniors at the Daniel Canter Senior Center
	Nan Rich with Gradutes of Weston University
	Senator Rich with the Final Graduting Class of Weston University 2010

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