Better2gether and Read to Them Join Forces
Improving Children’s Literacy and Healing
RICHMOND, VA – Better2gether and Read to Them are pleased to announce their joint effort to increase children’s literacy through the Complex Care Clinic at Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU.
The Complex Care Clinic is designed to offer support and coordination, serving as a hub for clinical care and overall family well-being. This new partnership is one of the ways Better2gether helps support the unique needs of children who are seen in this clinic.
In an effort to better serve the clinic families, Better2gether approached Read to Them with the idea of adding a literacy component to the services they provide to families visiting the Complex Care Clinic. As a result, the two Richmond-based organizations have teamed up to create an innovative program to provide books and resources to the patients and siblings visiting the clinic, promoting literacy and providing much-needed distraction during long clinic visits. Through this program, Read to Them will provide age-appropriate books for the children along with activities the children and families can use together to enhance reading and comprehension skills. Both organizations feel this new program, offered through the hospital, will expand the reach of families each organization serves.
“We are just so excited to have something to offer families for long doctor’s visits,” shared Dr. Tiffany Kimbrough, Associate Professor and Medical Director for the Complex Care Clinic at CHoR. “This is something our kids can use while they are here and they are waiting but also take home with them and continue to promote early literacy, reading, and good attachment to families,” she added.
Both Better2gether and Read to Them strive to foster positive change in the lives of children, and this partnership is the perfect opportunity to make that change happen. Both organizations are motivated by the belief that the ability to read is a fundamental building block of a successful life.
The two Executive Directors, Christa Donohue (Read to Them) and Stephanie Becker (Better2gether) believe this partnership shows the power of two separate organizations coming together to provide a higher level of service to their constituents, allowing them to deliver their missions in a more creative way. This work reflects the shared core values of both organizations, supporting families as they learn and grow together.
Read to Them’s mission is to bring reading aloud programs to families through schools which is mostly achieved through its One School, One Book program. Better2gether supports families with children dealing with chronic illnesses by providing comfort items, financial assistance, and emotional support as they navigate their child’s care.
