Enterprise Pediatric offers free childhood development program

Reach out and Read is an evidence based non-profit organization that uses donated funds from local businesses to invest in early childhood education by providing books to children and their parents.

“Years ago we decided it would be a good idea to start getting books into the homes of children and encouraging their parents to read to them nightly,” said John Mclendon, a pediatrician at the clinic. “It is great for a child’s developmental advancement.”

The program offers free books to parents and children who use the clinic.

The books start at appropriate levels for infants and then progress in reading level throughout the course of the program.

ROR helps children understand how to use books and also develops language and vocabulary skills, which are essential perquisites to literacy.

The Enterprise Pediatric clinic and ROR staff members hosted local business owners Nov. 8 for an informative meeting about the benefits of supporting the program in the Enterprise community.

Polly McClure, statewide coordinator for Reach out and Read, led the meeting and discussed the long-term benefits an area can see from investing in early childhood education.

“Research shows that for every $1 invested in quality early childhood development programs, area taxpayers see a return of $2,” she said. “Early childhood education makes a big difference in weather or not a child is ready to learn when they begin kindergarten.”

McClure said Enterprise Pediatric Clinic is one of more than 70 ROR sites in Alabama that serve more than 80,000 children between 6 months and 5 years of age.

Nobel Prize winning economist James Heckman founded the program and maintains that ROR is the best investment a community can make.

McClure said measurable links are found between early childhood education and work force development.

“There is a trust between parents and pediatricians that really allows them to encourage parents to participate in the program,” McClure said.

ROR is completely funded by donations from local businesses and comes at no cost to the physicians or the program participants.

“It costs $5 per book and around a $1,000 per child to keep the program going,” McClure said. “However, in the long term, there is a 10 percent rate of return on investment in early childhood education.”

For information on the program, or becoming a business partner in the Enterprise area contact McClure at (205) 223-0097.

“As a former educator and a doctor I’ve met very few parents who don’t care about their child’s development,” Mclendon said. “It’s one of the greatest investments a community can make.”