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Background on the Reach Out and Read Michigan Coalition
ROR has been steadily growing in Michigan since the 1990’s. The
ROR Michigan Coalition was created in 2006 to support existing programs
and expand in underserved regions of Michigan, particularly in the Metro
Detroit area. Michigan was targeted for expansion by ROR National due
to the high level of poverty in children, the high level of medically
underserved children, and the small percentage of ROR sites compared
with the state’s eligible population of children. As of February
2007, only 16 of Michigan's 83 counties have ROR sites.
Currently there are 59 ROR sites in Michigan serving
60,750 children annually. However, 281,959 children qualify
for ROR in Michigan because they are below 200% of poverty,
leaving 221,209 children unserved
in Michigan. (link
to MI Sites: www.reachoutandread.org/find/site_list.aspx?state=mi)
A Google map pinpointing Michigan ROR sites can be viewed at:
www.reachoutandread.org/maps/ror_site_map.asp.
The Michigan ROR coalition fosters partnerships among the health and
early childhood networks across the state to promote early literacy,
and healthy child development.
The purpose of ROR Michigan is:
- Support expansion and provide technical assistance
to existing and new sites,
- Train health care professionals
and program staff on the ROR model,
- Seek resources
for books and infrastructure to sustain ROR programs
statewide,
- Evaluation and quality assurance,
- Advocacy for ROR at federal and state levels,
and
- Promote the ROR model including media and
marketing.
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