December 2, 2005
Section: Editorials
Edition: Courier Edition
Page: A7, OPINION02
Courier News
| The reason the Courier News
article is so interesting is that a Reach Out and Read
program is happening right here in the middle of Courier News
territory at the Plainfield Community Health Center at 1700
Myrtle Ave. (and Rock Avenue). Its Web address is
www.PHCmednet.org.
It was started more than four years ago by two professors from Union County College, Sue Stock and Judy Mayer. In the last year, I have joined Sue in keeping it going, but at this point the grant funds have run out. The Reach Out and Read program has three focuses: having the doctor give a new book, which is written in English and Spanish, to preschool patients as a prescription for their growing minds; having lots of donated books in the waiting room for the children and their older siblings to read while they wait and to take home; and having volunteers such as high school students doing service learning come in and read to the children as they wait. I have haunted book sales and picked up hundreds of used children's books, some donated to the Plainfield Community Health Center and some at $5 a bag, and have used them to keep the waiting-room bookcase full. But the new books, which Reach Out and Read gets at a discount, require additional funding. Since half of the parents who bring their children to the center speak Spanish, new Spanish-language books are especially needed.I hope everyone will take the time to read the Associated Press article that the Courier News ran. MAUREEN GREENBAUM |