From the Desk of Meredith Hintze | 2018 Winter Newsletter

Reading has always been a priority in my life. My mom and grandmother read to me frequently starting from birth, and it became a staple in my childhood. I can remember sitting up in my childhood bed, listening to my mom read aloud to my sister in her bedroom down the hallway, clutching my book, and waiting for my one-on-one bedtime story. I’m the oldest, so I always went last, but that meant my turn was the longest.

As Perry mentions in his piece, growing up in a home where learning and education was a priority was the greatest blessing, one that I have begun to share with my children. But, as we all know, it can take more than the care of family members for children to succeed and thrive. My family was extremely fortunate to have the steadfast support of the beloved and well-respected Rabbi Daniel Goldberger. When I was in middle school, after my father died, Rabbi Goldberger stepped in to provide support to my family when we needed it the most. While in general I was blessed with a childhood full of opportunity, it was clear when our family was faced with adversity, that the support of the community around us was increasingly important.

Here at Reach Out and Read Colorado, we are so thankful for the individuals, organizations and foundations inside these pages that made our work possible to serve more than 120,000 Colorado children over the past year. In a time when some estimates predict a $20 billion decrease in charitable giving in 2018, your contribution is especially important. We will continue to spotlight our community by listing all donations of $100+ made through May in our Summer Newsletter. It’s our small way to thank you for giving this priceless gift to families across Colorado, and we hope that you’ll continue to make Reach Out and Read Colorado a giving priority.