• Read to Me!
• NETWORKS information
• Literacy for Women on the Streets
• Networks Datebook
• NALD's Software Evaluation Project launched
• Brigid Hayes receives NALD Award
• Adult Numeracy Frameworks
• The Literacy Bookshelf
• CABS Online
• Training for the Enhancement of Online Educational Resources
• Teaching Tips
• Regional Tidbits
• Calling all SARAW Programs
• Learner's Corner
• Learner's Story
• And, Among the Winners Were...
• Websites Worth Remembering

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Trained Family Literacy Practitioners meet with families at the hospital bedside within 24 hours of the birth of their baby to deliver information about early brain and language development and the benefits of talking, reading and singing to babies from birth. Every family is given a free bright yellow canvas tote bag containing two high quality infant board books, a resource booklet, a CD of nursery rhymes and lullabies, a powerful 15 minute video on the benefits of reading to babies, an invitation to join the public library and discount coupons from booksellers. The Lis-moi une histoire gift bag, which contains French books, video and resources is available to parents, and we provide Mi’kmaq translations of the board books.

Read to Me! will reach every child born in Nova Scotia. We currently reach 80% of babies born in the province and will reach all 10,000 babies born in Nova Scotia by the spring of 2004. We provide the gift bag to all families inclusively and have special books for families who have multiple births, and children who are hearing impaired or visually impaired.

The Founding Partners of Read to Me! are The Halifax Youth Foundation, CBC, HRDC, IWK Health Centre, IWK Auxiliary and the Province of Nova Scotia. An Endowment Fund of $5 million dollars is being built to fund the program in perpetuity. Two thirds of the Endowment funding has been secured. Operating Funds to finance the program until the Endowment Fund is complete have been provided by the Province of Nova Scotia, the IWK Health Centre Auxiliary, and the Halifax Youth Foundation. HRDC is providing funding for staff salaries from September 2001 to September 2004.

Now in its third year, the Read to Me! program is already having a positive impact on literacy in Nova Scotia. Toddlers can often be seen toting their yellow Read to Me! gift bag to their library and we’ve heard from many parents that their child’s Read to Me! books are well worn and still treasured.

If the simple act of giving books to newborns in Nova Scotia can have such enormous benefits, imagine what would happen if we, as a nation, decided to give books to every baby born in Canada. Just imagine!

In the moment of chanting a lullaby, telling a story or poem, or the reading out loud of a book, there is the creation of a ‘safe place’. Every child deserves this. It is their birthright.
Sheree Fitch Spokesperson, Read to Me! Nova Scotia Family Literacy Program

For more information about Read to Me!, contact:
Carol McDougall, Director, Read to Me! Nova Scotia Family Literacy Program
Tel. (902) 470-6487 carol.mcdougall@iwk.nshealth.ca   http://www.iwk.nshealth.ca/readtome