Mission and Vision

The mission of Raising A Reader San Francisco and Alameda Counties is to close the achievement gap before it appears by engaging limited-income families in daily book-sharing with their young children, thereby fostering healthy brain development, family-child bonding, and the early literacy skills essential for school success.

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Raising A Reader supports early literacy and language development by working with parents and early childhood professionals to reach desired outcomes for children 0-5. Our program model fosters parent involvement and provides opportunities for parent education as well as staff professional development.

One in three U.S. children entering kindergarten lack the early reading skills needed for success in school. Raising A Reader’s mission is to engage parents in a routine of daily book sharing with their children from birth to age five to foster healthy brain development, parent-child bonding, and early literacy skills critical for kindergarten readiness and continued school and life success.

(http://www NULL.rarbayarea NULL.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/Literacy NULL.demo1_ NULL.jpg)Raising A Reader reaches low-income families through childcare centers, preschools, home visitor programs, and family child care providers. Teachers, parents, and caregivers are trained in “read aloud” techniques that stimulate early brain development and language acquisition. Each week, children bring home book bags filled with wonderful children’s books to share with their parents.

Every year, each child is exposed to over 100 carefully selected books. Through training and ongoing support, parents and caregivers – even those with limited English proficiency or low literacy skills – learn how to enjoy sharing books with young children. The program includes a connection to the public library, helping families establish a foundation for a lifetime of access to books and love of reading.