More Than 4,000 Young Readers—And Room to Grow

Jazmyn Covington, Program Coordinator

This month, we’re celebrating the first anniversary of the Governor’s Young Reader’s Program in Baltimore City. The program delivers a free book every month to any Baltimore family with children from infancy through age four. It’s a great way to introduce very young kids to the joys of reading and storytelling.

Part of my job includes managing this program, which the Governor’s Office for Children specifically asked Family League to take on last March. I’m excited by the success of this program so far, as we now have more than 4,400 families enrolled.

I appreciate all the Family League partners and friends who have helped us spread the word, including B’More for Healthy Babies, Head Start, the Baltimore City Department of Social Services, Baltimore City Public Schools, Judy Centers, the Family Literacy Coalition, family childcare providers and health care providers.

As we launch our second year of this program, I’m confident we’ll be able to expand the number of families receiving free books by reaching out to even more city service providers, pediatricians’ offices, and many others.

This program reflects Family League’s commitment to support young children from zero to four, and their families. In fact, it aligns with our work as part of the Family Literacy Coalition, which aims to increase school readiness in Baltimore City through a framework focused on health, rich home environments, and quality instruction.