As Branford-based Read to Grow celebrates 23 years of incorporation in 2023, this non-profit’s mission to help build literacy and language skills from birth has grown greatly.

One very noticeable element of growth arrived in September, 2022, when RTG launched its eye-grabbing Bookmobile, which can literally drive literacy-building books to help families and kids during visits to schools and community programs. RTG’s Bookmobile was purchased with a generous grant from Centreville Bank Charitable Foundation.

Another expansion at RTG has been the growth of its headquarters at 53 School Ground Road. RTG Executive Director Suzannah Holsenbeck, who joined RTG in January, 2020, points to areas where walls have literally been knocked down to create new spaces for programs and book distribution areas.

From Branford, RTG distributes approximately 130,000 free books annually, including numerous publications in a variety of languages other than English. Boxes of books are neatly stacked and shelves are packed with books and inventory, including newborn family kits with RTG’s signature book, “Welcome to the World” written and illustrated by Nancy Elizabeth Wallace.

“That’s how it all started,” said Holsenbeck. “Twenty-three years ago, in Yale-New Haven Hospital, [RTG founder] Roxanne Coady and her group of friends literally walked around the floor, handing out [books].”

Back then, the group gave away copies of Margaret Wise Brown’s classic children’s book, “Good Night Moon,” illustrated by Clement Hurd. RTG began distributing “Welcome to the World” in 2011. Coady is also the founder of Madison’s beloved RJ Julia’s Booksellers, one of the nation’s leading independent bookstores.

Today, RTG distributes approximately 23,000 copies of “Welcome to the World” annually to families of newborns at 14 hospitals statewide. The gift includes an invitation to receive more books, free of charge, during baby’s first year of life, through RTG’s Books for Babies program.

RTG additionally connects with parents in prenatal groups and is also offering some baby books in languages such as Dari/English and Pashto/English. Families can also sign up for RTG’s free Books for Kids program, which offers picture books, chapter books and more, up to 3rd and 4th grade levels.

“Any family that has children in Connecticut can request books from us online,” said Holsenbeck.

Linda Sylvester, RTG Books for Kids Coordinator, said families making online requests for books have taken a massive jump since the pandemic. Requests can be made at www.readtogrow.org

Thanks in large part RTG’s inventory of gently-used donated books mainly generated by community members’ book drives, additional books for kids, and even some teen titles, are also available. RTG volunteers carefully sort through all donations to procure books ready for distribution.

Holsenbeck said the care and consideration demonstrated by all staff and volunteers at RTG is another component of RTG’s success.

Madison resident Susan Klug, an RTG volunteer of 6 years, said she first heard about RTG through RJ Julia’s, and followed through on her plan to become a volunteer after retiring as a medical technologist.

“I’ve always believed in reading,” said Klug. “My greatest compliment in my life is when my kids were little and someone walked by and said, ‘Wow, this is a reading family.’”

Great Growth

As part of its continued growth, a new RTG program now distributes books to Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICU) in 3 Connecticut hospitals, so parents can read aloud to their newborns in care.

“When we found out that only 5 percent of the sounds that a baby hears when they’re in the NICU is the human voice, it was a moment of, ‘How can we help change that percentage?’ And books help do that,” said Holsenbeck.

Launched in winter 2021, the program is so novel that CT Children’s Hospital (Hartford) Neonatologist, Dr. Shabnam Lainwala, MD, submitted an abstract to the World Literacy Forum, an international conference. As a result, Dr. Lainwala and Holsenbeck will speak about the RTG program during this year’s conference at the University of Oxford (England) in early April.

RTG provides books at NICU baby isolettes so visiting parents and family members can read aloud to their infant.

“Especially for parents that can’t touch their baby, or hold their baby; the reading is something that they say is so connective,” said Holsenbeck.

Another program RTG recently launched is Early Steps to School Success. Launched in 2019, the visiting reading program reaches families in communities such as Bridgeport (where RTG’s Portuguese language books are popular) and New Haven. RTG staff coordinators make bimonthly visits, creating a sustained relationship which also helps RTG gauge the success of encouraged reading.

Spurred by the pandemic, in 2021, RTG created another offering, an original RTG book, Hello Sometimes. The birth-to-age 5 book, published in English and Spanish versions, was authored by Amy Vatner, an attorney with the Children's Community Programs of Connecticut; and illustrated by Gabriella Svenningsen. Seed money from Valley Community Foundation (Derby), together with contributions from additional donors backed RTG’s run of 30,000 copies. Almost all have been distributed.

Without ever using the word “Covid,” the book is “...meant to give families and caregivers a way to talk to children about what’s happening,” said Holsenbeck. “And it allows children to have that language: ‘sometimes it’s this, sometimes it’s that.’”

In direct response to the pandemic, RTG also developed its popular program series, Popcorn & PJs: Virtual Family Storytime, with assistance from title sponsor Citizens Bank. Now in its third season, each series offers 6 live author events, once per month, October through March. Families are mailed participation packages aligned with the upcoming event. Approximately 200 families request packages for each monthly event, said Holsenbeck.

“We have families that literally have been to every Popcorn and PJs. They love it. They keep coming back.”

Popcorn & PJs donors are also welcome to support interested families. For a $30 contribution, families receive a package with microwave popcorn, crayons, sketch books, a copy of the book, and link to the online event. Families can also sign up for the event link only ($10). On story time night, families can join RTG’s live Zoom meeting featuring the book’s author.

“The author is there, on Zoom, and reads the story, answers questions, and leads children through an activity,” said Holsenbeck. “Because it’s on Zoom, you can see families reading along with their popcorn, kids asking questions, and even older siblings joining in.”

The next event is set for Friday, Feb. 24 at 7 p .m. To coincide with Black History Month, New Jersey author Tami Charles will read from her book, “Freedom Soup” (Candlewick, 2021).

The pandemic also allowed RTG to realize its long-held dream of adding a Bookmobile to its offerings, said Holsenbeck.

“Covid was really an opportunity to say, ‘How do we make ourselves more mobile, in a safe way?”

Then, another opportunity presented itself. During a listening session with Centreville Bank (CT & RI), a bank member overheard RTG Development Associate Paula Grimm mention the Bookmobile wish. As a result, the bank’s charitable foundation offered to help, providing RTG with $70,000 for the new vehicle. Additional donors stepped up to help with associated costs.

Last September, wrapped in its colorful, artistic exterior display of RTG books and titles, the Bookmobile made its inaugural visit to a Norwich elementary school. Since then, it’s visited several schools and community organizations, including Community Dining Room in Branford.

“You’re meeting people where they’re at,” said RTG Books for Babies Coordinator Laura Noe, who joined Holsenbeck in providing Zip06/The Sound with a look inside the Bookmobile.

Interior shelves and book carts display plenty of different titles to select and keep; and a built-in bench stretches along one wall. Books are stocked for visits with each individual school or organization in mind.

“What makes our Bookmobile work for different communities, and especially rural communities we visit, is that it’s responsive,” said Holsenbeck.

Noe said bringing books in other languages, such as those written in Pashto/English to New Haven-based Integrated Refugee & Immigrant Services (IRIS) clients during a Bookmobile visit, further validates RTG’s exceptional outreach efforts.

“So many of the folks that walk up and see those languages, and then find out they can have those books...they’re so hit with the emotion of, ‘We see you,’” said Noe.

It all goes back to RTG’s mission, added Holsenbeck.

“Research that’s been done on national programs that are giving out books is that, to really move the needle on literacy rates, you have to have the messaging from the parents. And that goes back to our mission: we are supporting parents as their child’s first teacher. So for us, that interaction is critical, and wonderful.”

For more information on Read to Grow or to make donation online, visit www.readtogrow.org or call (203) 488-6800.