We hope the videos about Read to Grow and early literacy will inform and interest you. We think results of our surveys will shine light on the effectiveness of our work. And we believe the testimonials here will speak for themselves.
Please enjoy:
Power of Our Programs
Through our three programs, we realize our mission. These programs — Books for Babies, Books for Kids and Early Steps to School Success-New Haven — are our engine, and donors and other supporters are our fuel. Together they have enabled us to reach over a million children and their families.
Read to Grow in Action Today
Read to Grow in Action Pre-COVID
Read to Grow Public Service Announcement
We conducted two surveys to find out what families think of our Books for Babies program in the hospitals, where we reach about 22,000 mothers and 60% of babies born in Connecticut annually.
In this program, we deliver free Literacy Packets to mothers of all newborns. (Each packet has: new book for newborn; literacy guide for parents; reply card to be in our Follow-Up that gives more free books; info on CHET Baby Scholars.)
Also in the hospitals, volunteers visit with mothers to talk about early childhood literacy and Literacy Packet contents.
Survey 1 Results
Here’s what 6,849 mothers told us in our initial survey:
97% looked at our Literacy Packets
94% found our First Guide for Parents of
Newborns useful
79% learned about baby development
85% learned ways to help a baby learn
81% learned about importance of reading
to a baby
78% learned how to read to a baby
72% read with their babies at least once a day
15% read with their babies more than
once a week
10% read with their babies once a week
1% never read with their babies
Survey 2 Results
For longer-range effects of our program, a second survey was taken among families whose children are now between the ages of 3 and 8. Here’s what 199 families told us:
First Guide for Parents of Newborns was informative and useful:
- Yes: 65%
- Somewhat: 17%
- No: <1%
- Don’t recall: 16%
A family member shared books with my child from birth to 3:
- More than once daily: 59.7%
- Once daily: 23.1%
- More than once weekly: 9.5%
- Once weekly: 2%
- Twice monthly: 2%
- Rarely: 2%
- Never: 1%
My child looks at, or reads books independently:
- More than once daily: 51.2%
- Once daily: 26.6%
- More than once weekly: 16.5%
- Less often: 4%
Sharing books is important for my child’s language skills, reading and learning:
- Yes: 98.9%
- Somewhat: <1%
- No: 0.0%
Sharing books is important for my child’s overall health:
- Yes: 94.9%
- Somewhat: 2.5%
- No: <1%
Recognitions received by Read to Grow include:
- 2016: Certificate of Recognition from New Haven Public Schools – Office of Youth, Family and Community Engagement
- 2016: IKEA Life Improvement Challenge Award from IKEA New Haven.
- 2015: Recipient of a NBCUniversal Foundation’s 21st Century Solutions grant challenge award.
- 2010: Connecticut KIDS COUNT, funded by the Annie E. Casey Foundation, cites RTG among agencies in the state working to improve child literacy and to close the achievement gap.
- 2009: “Kids Are Our Business” award from Clifford Beers Guidance Clinic, for commitment to enrich the lives of children and families in the Greater New Haven and Shoreline areas.
- 2008: Induction into the Community Hall of Fame, Channel 13/WNET New York and WLIW21. RTG is one of 11 recipients and the only Connecticut awardee.
- 2008: The Mary B. Ives Award from New Haven Free Public Library, for literacy work.
What People Are Saying
The following testimonials are taken from hundreds of letters and notes we have received. We thank everyone who has let us know how we’re doing!
