The Annual Reach Out and Read Basketball Tournament for St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children is a fun yet competitive event that is the pinnacle of our efforts to ensure that children in North Philadelphia have access to books.

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In 2022, we raised almost $150,000, and had 16 teams with more than 160 players from Philadelphia and beyond vying for the championship. 

 

Reach Out and Read is a national nonprofit organization that trains pediatricians and nurse practitioners in its early literacy program at nearly 6,000 pediatric primary care sites across the country and supplies brand-new books for children up to age five to take home from well-child visits.

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It is the most evidence-based, cost-effective, and enjoyable way to address the huge problem of illiteracy in our North Philadelphia community. The simple act of giving a book to a child and encouraging parents to read to their children during the office visit has been validated in numerous studies showing families that read together have larger vocabularies and stronger language skills.

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