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Reading Ready Pittsburgh partners with childcare programs and community organizations to offer literacy programs to foster a love of reading with Pittsburgh's youngest readers. Reading Ready Pittsburgh supporting families to foster a love of reading To play, press and hold the enter key. To stop, release the enter key. Reading Ready Pittsburgh believes in the power of family book sharing to ensure all children are ready to thrive in kindergarten. By increasing access to books and encouraging significant family engagement, we work to guarantee that all families have the tools and resources they need to support their children. All children deserve full book shelves. Over 97,500 new and gently loved books given away by Reading Ready Pittsburgh to date , and Over 229,000 brand new books sent to homes through Dolly Parton's Imagination Library! What We Do B is f or Books Free C hildren's B o okst o re Raising a Reader Dolly Parton's Imagination Library ParentPowered Community Outreach Little Giveaway Libraries Ranada's Story Ranada was introduced to the importance of early reading through our "Raising a Reader" program. Listen as she shares her insights about the impacts it has made on her family. Our Recent News Where Has the Time Gone? A lot has happened since our last update here, so let's fill you in! We had our Celebration of Families in November, and plenty of folks came and had their portraits taken -- some for the very first time. Local author Michael Roth came by and did a storytime and brought his therapy dog with him. For the winter solstice our very own Kathy and Sophia created all the puppets to perform a Three Billy Goats Gruff shadow puppet show. Kids got to make their own puppets afterward. And, finally, just last week we launched our Baby Book Club at the bookstore! It happens the first and third Thursday every month. Come check it out! 1/8 Halloween Hoopla 2025 We had an absolute BLAST this past Saturday, October 25, at our second Halloween Hoopla event. Well over 60 children attended, heard stories, decorated pumpkins, and took home lots and lots of free books. Hope you can make it next year! 1/10 B is for Bookbash So the B is for Bookbash this last Saturday was, well, a total BASH! We had somewhere around 100 or more families come through the Carnegie Library of Homestead in just a mere 3 hours. Thank you so much to our partners who helped us make this day a true success. Crafts were made; stories were read; snow cones and snacks were eaten; school supplies and books were gifted; and faces were painted. And, of course, much more happened but we'll leave it at that for now! Thank you, thank you, thank you everyone!! 1/11 B is for Bugs Day Reading Ready Pittsburgh hosted the Carnegie Museum of Natural History at B is for Books on Saturday, July 12, for a day filled with creepies, crawlies, and lots of fun activities. Kids and families got to see insects of all different shapes and sizes, eat some "dirt", and take plenty of bug books to learn more at home. 1/9 A Brand New Little Library! Reading Ready Pittsburgh built another free giveaway library for kids! This newest library was installed in the Millvue Acres apartment complex in Clairton, PA. It's a quite a nice one, and our very own Hannah's very own father was kind enough to build it for us. As you can see the installation was met with a very warm welcome, and we hope kids find inspiration from the books we stock for years to come. 1/4 Puppet Show Number 2 Our second annual puppet show went off without a hitch! We were so excited to have Emily Schubert and Rabbit Foot Puppetry back at B is for Books. Over 50 kids came through the door last Saturday, April 26, and everyone walked away with three free books and lots of smiles. Can't wait for the third annual show! 1/10 B is for Books Celebrates Its First Birthday It may have been wet and rainy, but the B is for Books first birthday party last Saturday was an absolute blast! A total of 80 children walked away with a brand new copy of The Magician's Hat and 3 extra books of their choosing from the shelves. To top it off, each family received one of our new B is for Books tote bags, as well. Cake was eaten, magic was performed, and balloon animals were plentiful. Thank you all for coming out and making our first year around the sun such a magical time! 1/9 Helen Smith Author Visit Children's book author Helen Smith visited B is for Books on February 4th to read her book My Hair Ain't Nappy to almost 40 parents and children! All children who joined for the day received a free, brand new copy of the book and got to participate in lots of fun activities. Thanks to all who helped make this day extra special. 1/5 DPIL Now Completely Covers 15203, 15210, 15211, + 15227! Thanks to the help of the Birmingham Foundation, all families of children under 5 that live in the area codes of 15203, 15210, 15211, and 15227 are now able to enroll their children in Dolly Parton's Imagination Library. Click here to enroll! Each child under 5 will receive a free book in the mail every month until their fifth birthday. Local Children's Authors Come Visit B is for Books In September and October, Reading Ready Pittsburgh hosted local children's authors, Joy Givens and Karen Lynn Williams. Joy read a book inspired her son, The Unstoppable Jaime , and Karen Lynn Williams read Bear Helps the Forest (Maybe You Help, Too) . Each event was accompanied by snacks, activities, and a book giveaway. Be on the lookout for more author vsits in the future! Joy Givens Karen Lynn Williams (left) Joy Givens 1/5

Upcoming Events with Reading Ready Pittsburgh Upcoming Events For questions about events, email mark@readingreadypittsburgh.org 1/4

Birthday Book Gifting Our Birthday Book Gifting program allows participating sites to gift each child in their childcare program an age appropriate, high quality book on their birthday. Birthday Book Gifting brings joy to children on their birthday and provides families quality books for their home library. How you can help: Purchase your favorite book(s) and send them to Reading Ready Pittsburgh. We'll wrap and deliver them fo r you! Questions? Email Ka thy Buy Local from these Pittsburgh Book Sellers: Send to: Reading Ready Pittsburgh Birthday Book Gifting Program 222 East 8th Avenue Homestead, PA 15120 Baby Preschool You can also shop from our wish lists!

Donate Explore this page to find out how to support Reading Ready Pittsburgh $35 supports one child for one year of Dolly Parton's Imagination Library (DPIL) $125 enables us to purchase a new initial Raising a Reader bookbag for one child and family $300 covers brand new book giveaways and other resources for our free events at B is for Books $3,000 buys new Raising a Reader materials for an entire preschool classroom—a gift that will serve them for years to come. Every contribution makes an enormous difference to us. Thanks to donors like you, Reading Ready Pittsburgh can help hundreds of families develop, practice, and sustain home literacy habits to ensure all children thrive. Make a general donation to Reading Ready Pittsburgh right here. Click here to donate to Reading Ready Pittsburgh's Dolly Drive! Donations made by check should be payable to Reading Ready Pittsburgh and mailed to: Reading Ready Pittsburgh PO Box 81111 Pittsburgh, PA 15217 Support Reading Ready Pittsburgh through your workplace giving program. Our United Way Contributor Choice Program code is 19907484. Click Here to Donate Books Reading Ready Pittsburgh will gladly take your new and gently loved children's books to give away in our bookstore! It doesn't matter if it's one book or one thousand books, we will take them as long as they are in good conditio n; not offensive in their language or depictions of people and cultures; and geared towards kids birth to 18. Questions about donating? Click here to email Kathy! You can also shop from our wish lists! Baby Preschool Start a Book Drive We go through a lot of books here at Reading Ready Pittsburgh, so if you'd like to organize a book drive for us please email our librarian, Kathy, at the email address below. kathy@readingreadypittsburgh.org Thank you for supporting Pittsburgh's youngest readers!

Get free children's books sent to your home every month through Dolly Parton's Imagination Library and Reading Ready Pittsburgh! Dolly Parton's Imagination Library (Haga clic aquí para español) Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library is a book gifting program that mails free high-quality books to children birth through age 5, no matter their family’s income. Eligible Zip Codes outside of City of Pittsburgh limits: 15025 - 15034 - 15035 - 15045 - 15104 - 15110 - 15112 - 15120 - 15122 - 15130 - 15131 - 15132 - 15133 - 15134 - 15135 - 15136 - 15137 - 15140 - 15145 - 15148 - 15218 - 15221 - 15227 - 15235 Eligible Zip Codes for the City of Pittsburgh: All zip codes within city limits. Click HERE if you aren't sure. NON-PITTSBURGH REGISTER HERE CITY OF PITTSBURGH REGISTER HERE What Is Dolly Parton's Imagination Library? Each month a new, carefully selected book will be mailed in your child’s name directly to your home. The first book is always the children’s classic The Little Engine That Could . Best of all it is a FREE GIFT to your child through our partnership with local organizations! There is no cost or obligation to your family. Who Is Eligible? Children under the age of five living within an eligible zip code. What Are My Responsibilities? Submit an official registration form, completely filled out by the authorized adult. Notify Reading Ready Pittsburgh any time your address changes. Read with your child and have fun! When Will I Receive Books? Eight to ten weeks after your registration form has been received, books will begin arriving at your home an d will continue until your child turns five or you move out of th e covered area. 8,100+ children enrolled! 229,000+ books gifted to date Like free books? Click here to receive more free resources for caregivers Promotional Flyers and Resources Want to promote Dolly Parton's Imagination Library in your community? Click the pictures below to download them and then share away!

Reading Ready Pittsburgh's guiding council of local families, business owners, and stakeholders. Early Literacy Community Council Reading Ready Pittsburgh knows that we are stronger together. That's why we're bringing together community members who are passionate about early literacy to create a literacy dream world. The Early Literacy Council is guided by its mission of working to develop a strong early literacy foundation for families in the Mon Valley and to foster a literary community where everyone can succeed. The Early LIteracy Community Council is comprised of parents, community members, librarians, and other professionals who want to make an impact on early literacy in the Mon Valley. Together, we’ve determined four priorities: Increasing access to books Providing parent support around early literacy Developing creative partnerships and collaborations Communicating the benefits of literacy for babies and small children Members: Terri Banks Daye Campbell Holly Cherpak Megan Chips Kate Coluccio Mary Denison Danielle Daye Glenn Ford Sophia Garbos Kennethia Harris Chardaé Jones Lynn Kawaratani DaMarra King Katie Kohlmiller Kathy Koltas Barrie Lang Carl Lewis Chary Lyons Markeya Lowry Joelisa McDonald Stephanie McGuigan Hayley Rabich Mark Sepe Katie Schulze Gigi Stephens Stefanie Wielkopolan Valerie Williams Jawanna Warren Hannah Zibert Contact Megan at megan@readingreadypittsburgh.org for more information.

Implementer Resources For All Implementers Photo Release Form Information for Parents Book Bag Return Reminder Book Bag Rotation Log Volunteer Form For Sites Book Bag Rotation Logistics - Sites Rotation Recommendations - Site Kick Off Ideas - Sites Family Agreement Signature Page Family Book Bag Rotation Letter Make Literacy A Part Of Your Day Book and Book Bag Care Family Reading Bookmarks For Home Visitors Book Bag Rotation Logistics - Visitor Rotation Recommendations - Visitor Kick Off Ideas - Visitor Parent Send Home Reminder Classroom Bag Reminder (Poster) Raising a Reader Videos RAR Family Introduction Video Bag Inventory Check

Ready4K Ready4K is an evidence based family engagement curriculum delivered via text message that helps caregivers support their children. E ach week, caregivers receive text messages with fun facts, easy tips, and growth activities on how to promote their children’s development by building on existing family routines – like pointing out letters on the shampoo bottle during bath time. Or text RRP to 70138 to enroll REGISTER HERE FACT: Balance and coordination help toddlers navigate the world. They're important for physical tasks like climbing stairs and playing on a jungle gym. 1 year-old sample message TIP: As you lie in bed, play an emotion game. Whisper a feeling like happy or sad. Then show each other the face you make when you are feeling that way. 3 year-old sample message GROWTH: Keep comparing groups of objects. You're getting ready 4K. Now challenge your child to identify which hand is holding fewer pennies. Try one more time! 4 year-old sample message Thank You! Reading Ready Pittsburgh received a grant through the Ready4K organization to offer Ready4K to our Allegheny county families for the next 2 years.

Our Team 1/2 Mary Denison, PhD - Executive Director mary@readingreadypittsburgh.org Mary Denison is a retired school psychologist. She has worked in that capacity with school-age children with learning and developmental problems for over 30 years. Mary initially taught Special Education for children with learning and behavioral challenges. After graduating with her doctorate in School Psychology she worked at Shaler Area School District and at PACE School. In 1995 she began working at The Day School at The Children's Institute. Mary worked for 22 years developing an expertise in working with children with autism and genetic and neurological disorders. After retiring from The Day School, Mary founded Reading Ready Pittsburgh to help build a love of reading in families of small children throughout the Pittsburgh area. Mary has 3 children who are all grown. She is an avid reader and enjoys sharing her love of books with others. 1/2 Megan Chips - Program Director megan@readingreadypittsburgh.org Megan is excited to be a part of the Reading Ready Pittsburgh team as Program Director. After graduating from Duquesne University as a psychology major, Megan quickly realized working with young children was her true calling. She received her Master’s degree from Carlow University in Elementary Education and for over twelve years worked in various early childhood programs. Megan holds Pennsylvania teaching certificates in both early childhood and elementary education. Prior to joining the RRP team, Megan worked for AIU Head Start for seven years as a teacher, supervisor and administrator. Megan believes inspiring children with a desire for reading is key for them to succeed in early grades as it shapes and forms their attitudes through graduation and beyond. Kathy Koltas - Librarian/Project Manager 1/2 kathy@readingreadypittsburgh.org Kathy has been a Children’s Librarian in the Pittsburgh area for over 25 years. Her passion for bringing books to children, especially those who may not have them in their homes, began as a volunteer with the former Beginning with Books early literacy organization. Through her work there, she saw how children need access to books in order to grow and develop into readers, leading to greater success in school. She returned to school to get her master’s degree in Library Science from the University of Pittsburgh and has since worked in various public and school capacities while raising five children. Despite loving her work, Kathy had always wanted to get back to working with a nonprofit that focused on getting books into the hands of all children and served not only the children but the caregivers and teachers as well. She is committed to bringing high quality, inclusive literature into all homes so every child can experience the joy of reading she has always felt and to which she has devoted her life to sharing. 1/2 Mark Sepe - Outreach Coordinator mark@readingreadypittsburgh.org Mark is a certified K-12 Reading Specialist and 7-12 English teacher. Before joining Reading Ready Pittsburgh he worked at Montessori Elementary School and was the Literacy Coordinator + Reading Specialist at the Neighborhood Learning Alliance. Reading and literacy are two of his biggest passions, and he is excited to be part of an organization putting those same passions at the front and center of their mission. When he's not coordinating with local organizations and communities, you can find him putzing around his garden, fermenting some thing or another, or playing baseball. 1/2 Stefanie Wielkopolan - Program Coordinator stefanie@readingreadypittsburgh.org Stefanie is a local educator and writer who has had the privilege of working with students, ages 2-82, for over 15 years. She holds teaching certifications in secondary English and elementary Montessori education. She loves being surrounded by books and holds an M.F.A. in Poetry from Chatham University. Stefanie is grateful to be back in the non-profit sector, helping children gain access to books and is excited to work for Reading Ready Pittsburgh as a program coordinator. During her time off, you might find Stefanie hanging with family and friends, reading, taking a hike with her husband, or singing ridiculous songs to family pets. 1/2 Hannah Zibert - Program Coordinator hannahz@readingreadypittsburgh.org Hannah has enjoyed working with children in ages ranging from 3 months to 15 years in sports, special needs camps, high schools, daycares, and one-on-ones for the past 14 years. She studied English Literature at Allegheny College and then received her Master’s in the Arts of Teaching English 7 -12 at the University of Pittsburgh so that she could share her love of reading with everyone. She happily stumbled into Early Childhood Education and became a Lead Teacher for six years at The Children’s Center of Pittsburgh where she found her passion for educating the youngest of children and fostering the love of reading in young people. Hannah is so excited to continue her journey with Reading Ready Pittsburgh and support their mission as their Program Coordinator. In her spare time, Hannah enjoys reading, quilting, hiking with her big, fluffy dogs, and supporting her local rugby club. 1/2 Sophia Garbos - Bookstore Associate sophia@readingreadypittsburgh.org After having her daughter at the end of 2022, Sophia shifted out of the food service industry and into the non-profit sector, realizing the importance of early literacy to success in her own as well as her daughter’s life. She studied Anthropology at Antioch College, and earned a Master of Arts in Food Studies from Chatham University. As a relatively new mom herself, she loves working with infants and toddlers and helping caregivers to build confidence in their reading skills. When she’s not shelving books, she can be found reading Stephen King books, hiking with her daughter and dog, and cooking vegan food.

COVID-19 Response Reading Ready Pittsburgh is committed to supporting families and their literacy needs during this challenging time. Thank you Carnegie Library of Homestead!!! Raising A Reader with COVID-19 Adaptation Reading Ready Pittsburgh has developed a new Raising A Reader model to ensure families attending our partner childcare programs are able to take home books to share with their children. In order to do this safely, Reading Ready Pittsburgh partnered with the Carnegie Library of Homestead to provide each of our partner sites two sets of book bags. Their red Raising A Reader bags and blue Library Bags. Childcare programs switch between sending red or blue bags home each week. This model gives childcare programs extra time to sanitize and quarantine books and bookbags AND allows families to have access to high quality books each week to share at home without a break! Fall 2020 Read With Me Program Reading Ready Pittsburgh provided our Head Start classrooms and 4 Kids Early Learning Center with our Read With Me series. Each week, for 6-8 weeks, books and family engagement tip sheets were delivered to classrooms and sent home with families. Holiday Book Giveaway Reading Ready Pittsburgh gifted over 700 brand new books to children and families during the 2020 holiday season. We partnered with the following organizations: MUSA Little Lambs Angel's Place - Swissvale Learning and Educational Daycare Sister I Need You Douglas Academy Jamie Miller Family Daycare Home Splash of Learning Steel Valley Early Head Start Steel Valley Family Center Rainbow Kitchen For Good PGH Summer Read With Me Program Summer 2020, Reading Ready Pittsburgh developed an 8 week program to continue supporting our partner childcare programs. Each week books and family engagement tip sheets were delivered to childcare programs and sent home with families. Summer 2020, Reading Ready Pittsburgh distributed over 800 books. Summer 2021, Reading Ready Pittsburgh distributed over 900 books. Dolly Parton's Imagination Library Since March 2020, Reading Ready Pittsburgh has enrolled over 700 families into Dolly Parton's Imagination Library. Each child registered receives a book mail to their home each month. Learn more Book Distribution Reading Ready Pittsburgh has provided almost 1,500 books to local community organizations in Homestead and Braddock to be redistributed to the community. Super Summer Book Bags Summer 2020, Reading Ready Pittsburgh purchased 120 Super Summer Book Bags through our national partner Raising A Reader. These bags are being distributed to incoming Kindergartners through local elementary schools.

Read about Reading Ready Pittsburgh in the news. Reading Ready Pittsburgh in the News Check out the links below to see some newsworthy items about our organization Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh brings community together for Children's Literacy Summit (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette) Books and beyond: Screen-free ways to build early literacy at home (Kidsburgh) Reading Ready Pittsburgh helps kids and parents develop a love of books (KDKA) 9 Unique Things to Do in Pittsburgh, PA: Add These To Your Steel City Itinerary (RentBlog.) Reading Ready Pittsburgh: this local nonprofit offers free books for kids, story times and more (Kidsburgh) Free Children’s Bookstore Opens in Pittsburgh (Publishers Weekly) Reading Ready Pittsburgh turns a new page with B is for Books (NEXTpittsburgh) What Makes Pittsburgh’s B is for Books Store Special? (Pittsburgh Magazine) Reading Ready Pittsburgh hosts open house at free children's bookstore, "B For Books" (KDKA) B is for Books: local bookstore offering free books to help increase literacy (WPXI-TV) Nonprofit Reading Ready Pittsburgh opens free bookstore for kids (90.5 WESA) B is for Books, a free children’s bookstore, aims to boost literacy and joy for young readers (PGH City Paper) Dolly Parton Imagination Library expands Western Pa. footprint (Pittsburgh Tribune-Review) Dolly Parton's Imagination Library returns to Pittsburgh (WTAE-TV) Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library sending free books to Pittsburgh kids (NEXTpittsburgh)