About Reach Out and Read Michigan

Reach Out and Read (ROR) Michigan Coalition was launched in July 2006, with a grant from the National ROR Center. Michigan is targeted for expansion by ROR National due to the high level of poverty in children, the high level of medically underserved children, and the small percentage of ROR sites compared with the state’s eligible population of children. As of February 2007, only 16 of Michigan's 83 counties have ROR sites.

The role of the ROR Michigan Coalition is to support efforts to establish new sites, to raise awareness and funds for new and existing sites, to provide technical assistance to all sites, and to help to develop a more comprehensive delivery system by working with various partners to fund programs in underserved areas.

Coalition Announcements

Update on ROR Michigan collaboration - The Intermediate School Districts have been learning more about Reach Out and Read and are looking to promote ROR in unserved counties, and partner with you in existing counties.

Update on ROR Michigan expansion - Currently, there are 71 sites in Michigan. There are 14 sites who are waiting for approval across the state.

ROR-MI Summer Training - June 26, 2007 - WOur first Statewide training was held on June 26th, in Okemos, Michigan.

Starting an ROR Program in Michigan - If you are interested in starting a ROR Program in Michigan, please contact Michele Strasz at michele@reachoutandreadmich.org - or call her at 517-712-2014. Thank you!

We Need YOU! Get Involved with ROR Michigan!

There's a whole lot of fundraising and bookraising for ROR-Michigan going on!

SEPTEMBER: Stock up for the holidays with a catalog book fair graciously sponsored by Sleeping Bear Press, Chelsea, Michigan. The folks at Sleeping Bear Press publish some of the most beautiful and high quality children's books today! You'll enjoy a 20% discount off retail price, and ROR-MI will receive a very large percentage of the remaining price. For more information on how you can take advantage of this terrific book fair, please contact Wendy, wendy@reachoutandreadmich.org

OCTOBER: Announcing our first annual ROR-MI fundraiser... ROR-MI's Big Buzz Adult Spelling Bee will be held at the Radisson Hotel Lansing, on October 24th, 5:30pm-9pm. This event will put the FUN into fundraising! A great time will be had by spelling and costumed adults, all raising money to support the efforts of the coalition! For information on tickets and sponsorship, please contact Wendy, wendy@reachoutandreadmich.org

FOR INFORMATION ON ALL OF THESE ACTIVITIES, PLEASE VISIT OUR WEBSITE AT: http://www.reachoutandreadmich.org

Join the ROR Michigan Friends Network, and Sponsor Children's Book Purchases!

You can "prescribe" just the right dose of literacy for Michigan children seen at ROR sites! The books are purchased from various publishers, at a reduced rate of 40-60% of retail price. These are high quality, developmentally appropriate books, and the average price is $2.75 a book. This includes board books for the youngest readers.

Each "full dose of literacy" provides 10 books for each child, one book for every well-child visit from 6 months to 5 years of age. For instance...

$275.00 (Full Literacy Dose for 10 Michigan children)
$137.50 (Full Literacy Dose for 5 Michigan children)
$55.00 (Full Literacy Dose for 2 Michigan children)
$27.50 (Full Literacy Dose for 1 Michigan children)

We welcome any and all donations - none is too small... or too big! A membership brochure can be downloaded in PDF from our website at:

http://www.reachoutandreadmich.org/Involved/donate.htm

Advisory Board Members

Alana Aronin, Public Health Consultant
Greg Aronin, Corporate Representative
Kyle Bauers, Coordinator, ROR-UM
Jay Eastman, MD, MI Chapter AAP
Linda Eastman, ROR Chesterfield and Birmingham
Norma Eppinger, Michigan 4C Association
Cheryl Hall, Education Consultant, MI Department of Education
Teresa Holtrop, MD, Children's Hospital of Michigan
Pete Jennings, MD, Michigan State University Pediatric Residency
Marge Kars, Manager, Bronson Health Sciences Library
Julie Lumeng, MD, ROR-University of Michigan
Carol Paine McGovern, Family Foundation Representative
John Taylor, Director, Americorps, Michigan Primary Care Association
Beany Tomber, WKAR RTL Coordinator

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