Born to Read is one of three signature projects of the Rotary Club of Traverse Bay Sunrise. Our mission is to promote early literacy by spreading the word about the importance of reading, talking, and singing with children everyday starting at birth.
Born to Read is an all volunteer effort, made possible by working closely with our collaborating partners, including Munson Medical Center, Dolly Parton's Imagination Library, Traverse Area District Library, Great Start Collaborative, Northwest Education Services, Traverse City Area Public Schools, Father Fred’s Pantry to Preschool Project, Parenting Communities, Benzie County Early Childhood Task Force, Grand Traverse Health Department, Northwest Michigan Health Services, United We Smile, and other community organizations.
Maternity staff at Munson distribute Born to Read Welcome Baby gift bags with literacy message, free books, and other gifts from our community partners. Another book with an invitation to enroll in Dolly Parton's Imagination Library is placed in baby's crib. Maternity and birth records staff encourage enrollment in the Imagination Library before parents leave the hospital.
> Learn more Learn more
Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library is dedicated to inspiring a love of reading by gifting books free of charge to children from birth to age five, through funding shared by Dolly Parton and local community partners in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia and Republic of Ireland. Through our Books from Birth partnership, Born to Read works with our two local chapters, DPIL GTR and Benzie, to develop resources and strategies to enroll young children in the region.
> Learn More Learn More
Provides tote bag with free book to new parents and to families with children birth to three participating in the library’s summer reading program. Also offers weekly texts with early literacy tips and fun events and activities to parents of young children. TADL hosts Born to Read training workshops, meetings, and promotes enrollments in Dolly Parton's Imagination Library.
> Learn more Learn more
Contributes expertise and programs that support parents of young children and provides written materials, translation, and training to help achieve Born to Read goals. Through 5toOne, Great Start also provides close to home neighborhood centers with play groups and other activities for families with young children, working closely with Born to Read to provide literacy information and encourage reading with children right from the start.
> Learn more Learn more
Providing a range of educational and supportive services across the 5-county region, Northwest Ed works together with Born to Read to ensure new parents are connected to vitally needed programs. They provided technical assistance and consultation in the development of a special Welcome Baby bag with message and customized book specifically for families whose babies are in the NICU and financially support enrollments in Dolly Parton's Imagination Library.
Traverse City Area Public Schools educates, inspires, and supports all learners to maximize individual excellence and success. TCAPS provides a gift for baby in the Welcome baby bag, hosts readers in preschool classrooms, distributes Born to Read literacy information, and promotes enrollments in Dolly Parton's Imagination Library at school events.
> Learn more Learn more
Through its Pantry to Preschool project, Father Fred distributes Born to Read books and literacy information every month. The books are part of food deliveries for low-income families of children attending nine different preschools in the region.
> Learn more Learn more
Delivers books and Born to Read literacy information to parents of young children visiting health clinics and using WIC services and encourages enrollment in Dolly Parton's Imagination Library during home visits.
Northwest Michigan Health Services distributes Born to Read literacy information, books for young children, and encourages enrollments in Dolly Parton's Imagination Library.
> Learn more Learn more
Part of the Benzie-Leelanau Health Department, Parenting Communities offers programs for all families with children aged 0-6 in Leelanau County. They provide funding for Welcome Baby bags, promote and register children in Dolly Parton's Imagination Library, distribute literacy information and children's books at community events and home visits.
> Learn more Learn more
Benzie County's Early Childhood Task Force, a part of Advocates for Benzie County, works to enhance kindergarten readiness, collaborating with local and regional organizations. As the local chapter for Benzie County, they register children for Dolly Parton's Imagination Library and provide funding for Welcome Baby bags.
> Learn more Learn more
Offers free dental care for children, pregnant women, as well as those with developmental disabilities and veterans. United We Smile promotes early dental care, providing a gift in the Welcome baby bag, and distributes literacy information and books to young children who visit their clinic.
Tamarack Holdings is a passionate group of professionals leading our family of businesses to successfully reimagine the food and beverage business, one bite at a time. We are strategists, land-use planners, technologists, designers, engineers, marketers, and number crunchers. Tamarack Holdings generously donates warehouse space for storage of Born to Read books and supplies, as well as assembly of Welcome Bags and book distribution.
> Learn more Learn more
National campaign that brings partners together to spread the word that reading aloud is the single most important activity that parents can do to prepare their child for success in school and life. Read Aloud provides Born to Read with campaign materials, statistics, and outreach strategies.
