December 2022- Medical Professional Newsletter

We are excited to welcome Jessica Lizzio to our program team as the Senior Manager of Pediatrician Engagement. Prior to joining Reach Out and Read, Jessi was a Developmental Specialist Supervisor and Playgroup Coordinator at Boston Children’s Hospital Early Intervention Program. She focused on serving children ages 0 – 3 who have developmental delays or are at risk of a developmental delay by providing evaluations and in-home services. Jessi created and implemented various virtual groups for children and families during the COVID-19 pandemic. She worked closely with children’s primary care providers; specialty providers such as developmental medicine, genetics, and neurology to ensure the right services and diagnoses are available for children at an early age. Jessi’s goal has been to empower children and families and she has prepared many for their transition to Boston Public Schools.  Immigrating to Queens, NY from Colombia as a teenager, diversity and advocating for underserved communities is especially important to her mission.  She is now looking forward to highlighting early literacy as a tool for equity in the Greater New York area

Kinsa has partnered with NYC’s Department of Health to bring free “smart thermometers” to New Yorkers.  The thermometers are designed by doctors and nurses in efforts to help achieve the goal of building a robust triage, early detection and response network across the City, while advancing the health of all New Yorkers.If you are interested in learning more about participating sites and how to obtain a free thermometer contact Patricia at pphillips@reachoutandreadnyc.org

West Monroe is embodying one of its core values of social responsibility by dedicating more that 2,000 employees to support nonprofits by volunteering remotely or in-person to organizations. 20 West Monroe Partners employees volunteered their time recording virtual read alouds for families to enjoy at home.
A special Thank You to West Monroe for your support!

All funding will help over 200,000 New York City children gain free access to quality, diverse books and literacy guidance

New York, NY, Oct. 29, 2021 – Reach Out and Read of Greater New York (RORGNY), the 501(3)c nonprofit providing children a foundation for success by incorporating books into pediatric care and encouraging families to read aloud together, announced today that it received the largest year-over-year funding increase from the New York City Council (the Council). RORGNY will receive an additional $110,864 increase for fiscal year 2022 allowing the organization to serve even more families in New York City with quality, diverse books, and literacy guidance. 

RORGNY largest year-over-year funding increase stems from The Council’s overall grant for City’s First Readers, a group of nonprofits that offer early learning programs and activities for families with children from birth to age 5. 

Emily Marchese, Executive Director of Reach Out and Reach of Greater New York, said: “The pandemic put a spotlight on the gap that low-income communities face in providing adequate resources to ensure childhood literacy development. We are grateful for our ongoing partnership with City’s First Readers and that the New York City Council recognizes the significance of our mission by providing RORGNY its largest increase in funding in the program’s history.” 

The additional funding allows RORGNY to serve an additional 2.5% of children and increase the quality of the books provided by the organization. This includes books that feature more diverse authors and characters, providing more representation of the communities that RORGNY serves. 

Year-to-date through RORGNY’s partnership with pediatricians, over 1 million children have gained access to books through their routine wellness visits. RORGNY provides books and training to over 230 Reach Out and Read programs in predominantly low-income communities in New York City, Long Island, and the Greater Hudson Valley. As a result of this evidence-based intervention, parents learn new ways to stimulate their children’s literacy development, have more books in their home, and read to their children more. 

To donate or learn more about Reach Out and Read of Greater New York, visit, reachoutandreadnyc.org. 

About Reach Out and Read of Greater New York

Reach Out and Read of Greater New York gives young children a foundation for success by incorporating books into pediatric care and encouraging families to read aloud together. We provide books and training to over 230 Reach Out and Read clinics in predominantly low-income communities in New York City, Long Island, and the Greater Hudson Valley. The program is built on the unique relationship between parents and medical providers to develop essential early literacy skills in young children via the existing health infrastructure. Our program is a proven intervention, supported by 15 independent, peer reviewed research studies. Follow RORGNY on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. To donate or learn more about Reach Out and Read of Greater New York, visit, reachoutandreadnyc.org. 

Media Contact:

Kari Kurjiaka 

kkurjiaka@reachoutandreadnyc.org

Susie Jaramillo Wins the Mills Tannenbaum Award for Children’s Literacy

We are thrilled to announce the winner of Reach Out and Read of Greater New York’s Mills Tannenbaum Award for Children’s Literacy — Susie Jaramillo, the president and chief creative officer of Encantos Media.

The Mills Tannenbaum Award for Children’s Literacy is given annually since 2013 to a children’s book author or illustrator who is dedicated to promoting a lifelong love of reading in young children. This year, we wanted to recognize someone who embodies the importance of diversity and inclusion in children’s literature. 

The award was created in honor of Gary Tannenbaum and Helen Mills, who are long-time advocates of children’s literacy in New York and dedicated supporters of the Reach Out and Read of Greater New York early literacy program.

“It’s so important that all children have access to high-quality books that excite their imaginations and expand their horizons,” the award founders said. 

As a proud Venezuelan-American mother of two children, Jaramillo is dedicated to telling the stories of cultures that are not represented through technology, entertainment, advertisement, media, and marketing. Her commitment to women and diversity initiatives and creative and design education, has led her to obtain her B.A. in communication design with a focus on painting & illustration from the Pratt Institute. 

In 2015, she co-founded Encantos Media as a public benefit corporation. Encantos Media is an award-winning company that believes kids learn literacy and life skills best through play. 

 “We founded Encantos to help kids learn, the way they learn best: through characters and stories that inspire them. Our Tiny Travelers books inspire kids to be citizens of the world, our Canticos books help children learn Spanish through culture and our Skeletina brand helps kids conquer their fears and anxiety. We feel so proud that our stories have purpose and heart and rhythm, reflecting the beautiful diversity of our world,” says Susie Jaramillo.

“Our school systems are stuck in the last century, focused on one-size fits all curriculum and testing – kids are yearning to be inspired. Entertainment makes deep connections with kids- they want to live in Arendale, they want to go to Hogwarts – but education remains rote, boring, one note,” according to Encantos Media.

In order to teach children 21st century skills, Encantos Media provides digital and physical product subscriptions such as apps, animated series, books, puzzles, and games that inspire kids to learn about the world through diverse entertainment, centric play-based education, and kid-friendly technology. 

Encantos Media houses three other brands: Canticos, Skeletitos, and Tiny Travelers. Canticos, Encantos Media’s first brand and Emmy-nominated Latino-inspired bilingual nursery rhyme series, was created and launched by Jaramillo in 2016. The series airs on Nick Jr.

Canticos’ innovative apps, books and sing-along videos have garnered such success that the brand received widespread industry accolades and awards from Common Sense Media, Kidscreen, Kirkus, Publishers Weekly, The New York Times and School Library Journal. 

Skeletitos celebrates and teaches children about the Day of the Dead with beautiful Mexican calavera art from Jose Guadalupe Posada and illustrations by Jaramillo. They provide children with comedic Day of the Dead themed tales, coloring sheets, Skeletitos masks, crafts and activities. 

Tiny Travelers inspires children to be curious about the world’s diverse geography, languages and cultures through books, puzzles and games.

Jaramillo and her work are a shining example of diversity and inclusion in children’s literature. We are especially excited to add the Canticos series for babies and toddlers and Tiny Travelers’ books for preschoolers to Reach Out and Read of Greater New York’s library of books.

For more information about the event, and to register, visit www.reachoutandreadnyc.org/events