Summer 2025
Foreword
News for our donors who propel us forward.
Dear Reach Out and Read Colorado Community,
We are thrilled to share the launch of our new strategic plan—a vision that builds on our strong foundation and charts a powerful course forward for Reach Out and Read Colorado. Our updated mission remains deeply rooted in what we do best. Partnering with healthcare providers, our mission is to improve school readiness and social-emotional skills through trusted literacy guidance and reading together. And now, with renewed energy and purpose, we’re setting our sights even higher.
Our bold goal: By 2030, Reach Out and Read Colorado will serve 50% of all children aged 0–5 across the state.
Why this goal? Because the need is urgent. Over 40% of Colorado children start kindergarten without the literacy skills they need to thrive, and over half are not reading proficiently by third grade. We know that daily shared reading from birth is one of the simplest, most effective ways to improve language, social-emotional development, and lifelong outcomes. That’s why our program matters more than ever.
Since 1996, what started with one Denver pediatrician has grown into a statewide movement. Today, Reach Out and Read Colorado serves children from every county—and in 2025, we’re proud to reach over one-third of all Colorado children under five. With your continued partnership, we’re ready to do more.
Over the next five years, our strategy will focus on:
- Expanding access to books and literacy guidance through well-child visits, as well as our Read Me Again program.
- Strengthening our operations with enhanced data systems and clinical engagement.
- Building a diversified revenue model to support long-term growth.
- Raising our visibility and impact through new partnerships, regional outreach, and statewide advocacy.
We’re proud that this plan is not only ambitious but also actionable—built on the input of providers, partners, and families who see firsthand the difference books and reading make in a child’s life.
We’re also excited to welcome Kerri Webster as the new Chair of our Board of Directors. Kerri brings a wealth of experience and a deep commitment to children’s health and equity. As the Vice President and Chief Analytics Officer at Children’s Hospital Colorado, she leads with data-driven vision and heart. Her leadership will be a tremendous asset as we work toward our ambitious goals. We also want to extend our heartfelt thanks to Scott Hild for his dedicated service as Board Chair and for continuing to support our mission as a valued member of the Board.
Thank you for being a part of our story. Together, we are helping families build strong bonds, resilient children, and brighter futures—one book, one visit, one child at a time.
With Gratitude,
Patty Fontneau
Chief Executive Officer | Reach Out and Read Colorado
Thank you to everyone who helped
Make Our Spring Event a Success!
The Spring Event 2025 raised over $100,000, making it possible to provide children and their families with developmentally-appropriate books, literacy guidance, and a prescription to read together daily at more than 17,000 well-child visits. Thanks to our generous supporters, these families will build strong early literacy habits from the very start.
Celebrating those who give for the future
Donor Spotlight
Gayle has been a cherished part of the Reach Out and Read Colorado family for many years. As a dedicated volunteer, she has spent countless hours sorting and stickering gently used books, helping us get stories into the hands of families across the state. She says she volunteers to make sure that kids whose families can’t afford books get to read at home starting at an early age. Whether she’s attending our events or rolling up her sleeves behind the scenes, Gayle’s enthusiasm and steady support have made a lasting impact on our mission to foster early literacy.
We’re honored to share that Gayle has taken her commitment one step further by including Reach Out and Read Colorado in her planned giving. Her generosity ensures that the joy of reading and the power of early literacy will continue to reach future generations.
“I was the child of an immigrant who learned to read late in life and knows the value of reading for success in life,” Gayle shared.
Gayle and her two siblings were first generation college graduates, contributing their academic pursuits to the culture of reading in their family. And though Gayle doesn’t “do” much technology, she loves taking her eReader with her on vacations so she can bring along as many books as possible. She says, “I don’t care how you read or what you read, reading is important for everyone.”
Her legacy is one of compassion, service, and belief in the life-changing power of a book — and we are so grateful.

Leave a Legacy of Literacy
Legacy giving is a powerful way to make a lasting impact beyond your lifetime. By including Reach Out and Read Colorado in your will or as a beneficiary of a retirement account, life insurance policy, or donor advised fund, you can help ensure that children across Colorado continue to receive the gift of books and a strong start in life. These types of planned gifts are simple to set up and can be tailored to fit your personal and financial goals. If you’ve already included us in your estate plans, or if you’d like help exploring your options, we’d love to hear from you. Please reach out so we can thank you and ensure your gift reflects your wishes.
Piloting the Books As Clinical Tools Initiative

In partnership with the National Reach Out and Read office, we are engaged in a quality improvement initiative aimed at deepening the integration of early literacy promotion into pediatric well-child visits. We are reaching beyond providing early literacy guidance by using this new resource, Books As Clinical Tools, to support multiple aspects of the well visit with the use of the book — including developmental surveillance, modeling of caregiver-child interaction with a book, early relational health, and fine and gross motor skills — all in alignment with Bright Futures Guidelines and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) Periodicity Schedule.
Rather than being an add-on, the new resource helps the book become a central, versatile tool that providers can use fluidly throughout the entire visit. This approach reinforces the value of literacy in child development while acknowledging the time constraints many providers face.
To support this integration, we are implementing a spiral-bound flip booklet — a practical, visit-by-visit resource designed by and for providers. Whether a provider is new to Reach Out and Read or highly experienced, they can use this tool to embed early literacy promotion meaningfully and efficiently into routine care.
This summer and fall, we are piloting this initiative with four Reach Out and Read Colorado medical offices. As we gather feedback from providers at our four diverse pilot clinics, we look forward to using their insights to inform a second version of the tool. Our hope is that the next iteration will not only serve as a statewide resource in Colorado, but will be rolled out nationally as well to improve overall program efficacy.
Showcasing The Reach Out and Read Program
with Representative Sirota
We were thrilled to host Representative Emily Sirota at Kaiser Permanente East Denver Pediatric Office at the end of July to show her the Reach Out and Read program in action!
We are grateful for her support and alignment around our mission to improve literacy and early childhood development for Colorado children, in her district and throughout the state.

Expanding Our Gently Used Books Program
We’re excited to introduce Read Me Again, our new and improved gently used books program. With expanded community partnerships and a fresh name, Read Me Again will help us deepen our impact and get more books into the hands of more children across the state, especially the families who need them most.
In addition to stocking these give-away books in all our partner medical offices’ waiting and exam rooms, we are teaming up with mobile food distribution programs and a wide range of community partners to increase access to books and rescue thousands from ending up in landfills. Last year, Reach Out and Read Colorado collected 40,000 gently used books, and this year we aim to increase that number to 75,000 books.
With more ways to get involved, Read Me Again offers many different opportunities for volunteers to make a meaningful impact in their local communities.
Contact us for more information on how you can support this program, volunteer opportunities, and book donation options.
Upcoming Events
Save the Date!
October 9, 2025: DAF Day (Donor Advised Fund)
October 10, 2025: Books & Beer
December 9, 2025: Colorado Gives Day
February 10, 2026: Breakfast for Dinner at Snooze
April 30, 2026: The Spring Event at the Tivoli Turnhalle
Other Ways to Make a Difference
Become a Monthly Donor
By joining our monthly giving program, the Literacy Leaders, you’re supporting Colorado children each month with free, developmentally- and language-appropriate books to build home libraries and provide literacy guidance for caregivers.
Give Through a Donor Advised Fund
Donor-advised funds are the fastest growing form of charitable donations and offer unique tax benefits. When you give through a DAF, you create steady funding for Colorado kids.
Volunteer with Us
We are always looking for volunteers to sort gently used books, help with event coordination, and more.
Partnering with Give 5 Mile High
We were thrilled to team up with Denver’s Mayor Mike Johnston and Give 5 Mile High in June to ensure every Colorado child has access to books and is able to build a home library! Thousands of books were sorted and packed up by 25+ volunteers to be distributed throughout the state and the city of Denver to the families who need them most.
Thank you to everyone who volunteered and donated books! Our impact would not be possible without this wonderful community.
To learn more about Denver First Lady’s initiative to encourage more Denver residents to volunteer and get involved with nonprofit organizations, visit the Give 5 Mile High website.


Are You Looking for an Easy,
Hands-Off Way to Support Colorado kids?
Do you shop at Target and have a Target Circle number?
Here’s how to participate:
1. Select your home store. If it is not in Denver, Colorado, you will need to temporarily switch your store to Denver. Search 80222.
2. Shop, enter your rewards number at check out, and raise money for Reach Out and Read Colorado.
3. details
It’s that simple!
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