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 where a new book and literacy guidance materials were given
423 trained medical providers serving RI families
66 medical sites throughout our state

See Our Impact

Support Us

We serve 40,000 children and provide 80,000 books each year with support from the Rhode Island community.

Make A Difference

2025 Campaigns

401Gives Powered by UnitedWay Rhode Isla nd

COMING SOON!

Reach Out and Read Rhode Island is thrilled to announce our participation in 401Gives (powered by the United Way of Rhode Island) on Tuesday, April 1st!

Join us in making a difference for Rhode Island's youngest community and their families.

Mark Your Calendar!

Event Spotlight

READ and PLAY EVERY DAY

Join RORRI and PCM for a 2-DAY event on Sunday, April 13th, and Monday, April 14th, READ & PLAY EVERY DAY at the Providence Children's Museum.

Reach Out and Read RI (RORRI) and Providence Children’s Museum (PCM) have joined forces to encourage lifelong learning and the development of strong relationships through daily reading and play.

This 2-Day family event will offer a FREE children’s book, and fun, learning-focused activities – an activity blending both early literacy and play. All activities are included with museum admission.

DATE:

Sunday, April 13th

Monday, April 14th

LOCATION:

Providence Children's Museum

100 South St, Providence, RI 02903

We look forward to seeing you there!

Event Details

PARTY FOR THE PLANET

Reach Out and Read Rhode Island is excited to participate in this year's Roger Williams Park Zoo Party for the Planet on Thursday, April 17th. We will be distributing free children's books and look forward to engaging with the community.

DATE:

Thursday, April 17th