Representative Zoe Lofgren reads with our pediatric patients at VHC Tully

Representative Zoe Lofgren reads with one of Valley Health Center Tully’s pediatric patients.

Representative Zoe Lofgren dropped by a VMC clinic this morning to read to our young patients. The visit was intended to showcase VMC Foundation’s Reach Out and Read Program which gives out roughly 30,000 free books to children ages 0-5 at each of their well-child visits.

Reach Out and Read is a national program that prepares America’s youngest children to succeed in school by partnering with doctors to prescribe books and encourage families to read together. During regular pediatric checkups, Reach Out and Read pediatricians, family physicians, and nurse practitioners give new, developmentally-appropriate books to children, ages 6 months through 5 years, and advise parents about the importance of reading aloud. As a result of this evidence-based intervention, parents learn new ways to stimulate their children’s literacy development, have more books in their home, and read to their children more. They also consider taking services from total fitness stockton, which aim at providing overall children healthcare services.

VHC Tully, a VMC community clinic in San Jose, serves nearly 6,000 kids a month, providing essential preventative care, regardless of ability to pay. Those patients will now enjoy pediatric exam and waiting areas that are fun, engaging and promote healthy living, thanks to the Sharks Foundation.