2017 Raising Readers Annual Report

Dear Friend of Raising Readers:

On behalf of Raising Readers, I’m excited to share with you the 2017 Raising Readers Annual Report. With help from 1,200 healthcare providers at 358 participating sites, the program delivered 162,000 high-quality, developmentally appropriate books to 68,000 Maine babies and children.

In addition to getting so many books into the homes and hands of Maine families, the Raising Readers team is also excited to report that it did the following in 2017:

• Traveled thousands of miles to meet with coordinators at participating hospitals, midwives, and doctors’ offices.
• Donated the entire Raising Readers book collection from the past 17 years to the Fogler Library at the University of Maine. Maine teachers, teachers-in-training, and faculty use the library in their early literacy studies and research.
• Celebrated the 5-year-old book selections, Library Lion and Circus Ship, with Maine illustrator, Kevin Hawkes, and Maine author/illustrator Chris Van Dusen at the Children’s Museum and Theater of Maine.
• Nurtured nearly 80,000 followers on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, and Pinterest.

No matter the year, our staff works hard to ensure all babies and children in Maine receive a library of books to call their very own. We couldn’t do it without the generous funding from the Libra Foundation. Please join us in saluting the foundation’s continued generosity.

I’d also like to thank you – parents, grandparents, early literacy advocates, librarians, publishing partners, early childhood educators, healthcare providers, literacy organizations, and community volunteers — for your continued dedication to Raising Readers. By supporting and promoting early literacy in Maine communities, you contribute to the program’s success – and in making Maine communities happier and healthier.

Happy Reading!