Kosciusko Literacy Services is pleased to add Kosciusko Home Care as a community partner for the Read to Grow Children’s Book Club. Kosciusko Home Care provides skilled nursing services in the homes of premature babies and children who were hospitalized with a chronic illness.

The nurses work closely with families and physicians to meet each child’s unique home healthcare needs. The Read to Grow Children’s Book Club provides one book a month to each registered, preschool child who is living below 150% of the poverty level.

Read to Grow Children’s Book Club addresses the lack of basic skills low-income children have when entering the school system. By placing the books in the home, Kosciusko Literacy Services addresses one of the main reasons children have low skills when entering school — the lack of reading material in the home.

The parents sign an agreement to read regularly to their child. Reading to children at an early age helps the child’s brain to develop language and reading skills. This program helps the child have the necessary skills to be ready for school and to continue learning. The program is very tangible — the books belong to the child and are in the child’s home. In addition to the child’s brain being stimulated and the books being available on a daily basis, an indirect outcome of this program is that the bond between parent and child is enhanced during the quality interaction of reading stories.

Stronger families and improved educational capacity of the child will build stronger and more productive communities. This program has proven, positive results in Kosciusko County and is supported by United Way of Kosciusko County. Currently, an average of 525 children receive a new book each month.