Pediatric clinicians with Sutter Medical Group of the Redwoods are locally involved in the national early literacy program Reach Out and Read, which encourages doctors to give age-appropriate books to young kids and families during well-child visits.
Sonoma County philanthropists Susan and Lawrence Amaturo are challenging their Santa Rosa community to support kids, families and reading with a bold offer: “We’ll double your giving!”
Lawrence and Susan Amaturo have pledged to match up to $100,000 in donations to support Sutter pediatricians’ participation in Reach Out and Read.
The couple – matching up to $100,000 in donations – is supporting Sutter Medical Group of the Redwoods’ participation in Reach Out and Read (ROAR), a national nonprofit that partners with pediatricians to distribute books during well-child visits. The Sutter provider group currently serves 2,400 families through the program and is set to expand its reach with the community’s help.
“The first five years of a child’s life are critical for brain development,” says Sutter pediatrician Dr. Marjorie Bohn. “Research shows that reading aloud strengthens the bond between parent and child, is one way that helps reduce screen time, and enhances children’s vocabulary and literacy skills.”
Research shows that children who are read just one book a day hear around 290,000 more words by age five compared to those who don’t regularly read with a parent or caregiver. This difference helps explain, in part, variations in children’s vocabulary and reading development at this stage.
Reading Crisis Fuels Future Risk
Young Americans are facing a literacy crisis, with only four in 10 children reading at grade level. In Sonoma County, data shows even before the COVID-19 pandemic, 50% of students were reading below grade level, with the rate rising to 60% among third graders. Kindergarten readiness in the county has also declined for the fifth consecutive year.
Illiteracy has devastating impacts on children’s futures. For example, teenage girls with limited literacy skills are two and a half times more likely to become pregnant, while children who aren’t reading at grade level by the end of third grade are four times more likely to drop out of high school.
Encouraging kids and parents to read together and hear the spoken word is a key part of combating illiteracy and can be reinforced in the doctor’s office by providing books to families at no cost.
Books at Every Checkup
Dr. Marjorie Bohn
Pediatric clinicians with Sutter Medical Group of the Redwoods launched ROAR in 2020. Through the initiative, the pediatric clinicians provide engaging and interactive books to children from birth to five years old during their recommended well-child appointments. The books, available in English or Spanish, are age appropriate and focus on promoting development skills.
“More funding will allow us to grow the program by 1,200 children and families and include kids up to age 10,” says Dr. Bohn.
The Sutter provider group distributed more than 3,000 books to 1,900 families in the community between February 2023 and February 2024. Of those families, 30% identified as Hispanic or Latinx, highlighting the importance of making books available in Spanish.
Aparna Wilder and her two young children have benefited from the involvement of Sutter Medical Group of the Redwoods’ pediatricians with Reach Out and Read.
One participating family appreciates Dr. Bohn’s leadership in this area, saying that she creates trusting relationships with her two children who see the pediatrician as a figure of wellness and learning.
“I want to promote pediatricians as a beacon of knowledge, wellness and whole health,” said Aparna Wilder, mother of two children who are patients of Dr. Bohn. “Sutter’s participation in Reach Out and Read does that.”
Growing the Program
For the Amaturos, ROAR needs to get a little louder.
“It’s about laying the groundwork for a lifetime of learning and success,” says Susan Amaturo. “Programs like ROAR ensure children in our community are more likely to grow, learn and thrive, enabling them to reach their full educational, social and life potential.”
The pair have committed to matching donations up to $100,000 through Sutter’s fundraising campaign, which has secured more than $102,000. Sutter’s goal is to raise $200,000 over the next three years, which will allow the program to continue for the next 10 years.
“The importance of programs like ROAR and its impact on families cannot be overstated,” said Dr. Bohn. “We are grateful for the Amaturos for their matching contribution and hope others in the community see the value and impact this program has on our little ones and families.”
Dr. Bohn adds, “This is an incredible collaboration between healthcare and the community.”
A new mural by local artist Martha Wade to commemorate the success and soon-to-be expansion of Read Out and Read (ROAR) at Sutter’s pediatric offices in Santa Rosa.
