Reach Out and Read Colorado’s annual fundraising gala returns as an in-person event, being held outdoors at the Denver Botanic Gardens Pavilion on Wednesday, June 16 from 6-9 p.m. to support early literacy. Denver7 Meteorologist Lisa Hidalgo will emcee the program.
Reach Out and Read Colorado, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization based in Denver, has a 20-year history of improving early literacy throughout the state by partnering with pediatricians to provide developmentally- and language-appropriate books to children at regular well-child visits and encourage families to read aloud together. Currently, Reach Out and Read Colorado serves nearly 130,000 children in 328 clinics.
After a long year of virtual clinic visits and limited interaction with our community in person, Reach Out and Read Colorado is excited to gather in person for our annual gala. Every precaution is being taken in the outdoor space to make sure guests will feel safe and enjoy themselves. The evening will include drinks, a VIP artist salon, silent auction, dinner and entertainment.
The event will celebrate the impactful journey a Reach Out and Read Colorado child takes in the first five years of life – learning, growing, and sharing books and magical moments reading aloud with loved ones – while raising much-needed support for this evidence-based program designed to reach the state’s most vulnerable populations.
Cassandra Taylor, a nurse at Evans Pediatrics at Fort Carson, provided this testimonial:
“Thank you for allowing our pediatric population to benefit from the Reach Out and Read program. Many of our patients are living in poverty and parents may not be able to afford to buy books for their kids to read at home. These kids light up when we give them the books — their smile says it all!”
For more information about the gala or Reach Out and Read Colorado, visit www.reachoutandreadco.org.