Reach Out and Read, a children's literacy program, focuses on at-risk children ages 6 months to 5 years who are living at or near poverty. Medical providers participating in Reach Out and Read give books to their youngest low-income patients at check-ups and advise parents about the importance of reading.

More than 20 million books have been distributed through Reach Out and Read, which serves 25 percent of the most impoverished children in the United States.

As part of Thursday's book donation, Bob Franks, president of the Health Care Institute of New Jersey, delivered books and read to children. A similar donation was made later Thursday at Trinitas Hospital Family Health Center in Elizabeth. For more information, go to www.reachoutandread.org.

-- Staff report