Reach Out and Read – Neighborhood sponsors and participates with the Rhode Island Community Health Centers in Reach Out and Read (ROR) - a program that promotes early literacy by bringing new books and advice about the importance of reading aloud into the pediatric exam room.  Neighborhood volunteers read aloud to children while they wait to be seen. Doctors and nurses then give new books to children at each well child visit from 6 months of age to 5 years, and accompany these books with developmentally appropriate advice to parents about reading aloud with their child. The ROR program model is based on research that shows a connection between the frequency of sharing books with babies, toddlers and young children and enhanced language development.

Reach Out and Read RI (RORRI) began in 1999 with four sites. Today the 40 sites of the Coalition include virtually all health centers and pediatric clinics in the state as well as a growing number of private practices. A generous matching book grant from Reading Is Fundamental has allowed the RORRI Coalition to provide all books free of charge to sites serving primarily low income families. The long term goal of ROR is books and literacy guidance to become part of the routine practice of pediatric primary care.