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Pediatric Patients at Select LVPG Locations in the Poconos Will Be Given New Books as Part of the Reach Out and Read Program

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Reach out and Read program

Beginning today, pediatric patients visiting Lehigh Valley Physician Group (LVPG)–Pocono offices will each receive a book at their next appointment. LVPG has partnered with Reach Out and Read, a nationally accredited non-profit program, whose goal is to foster early literacy in childhood. LVPG and Reach Out and Read will accomplish this goal by providing age-appropriate books to children at every well-child appointment, starting at 6 months old through 5 years of age, for a total of 10 free books.

This initial allotment of approximately 5,100 books will be going to the pediatric populations of LVPG–Pocono Pediatrics, LVPG–Pocono Family Medicine and LVPG–Pocono Internal Medicine and Pediatrics. Purchasing these books was possible thanks to a donation from the Lehigh Valley Health Network Pocono Foundation.

“The Pocono Foundation is responsible for making this happen, so I want to thank them for making this dream a reality and serving the community at large,” says Victor Catania, MD, Medical Director for LVPG–Pocono.

Catania is the driver behind the Reach Out and Read program coming to the Poconos. “This has been a passion project of mine that I’ve been wanting to see come together for a long time,” Catania says. “Early childhood literacy is key. There are multiple studies that the earlier we expose children to books, it improves their vocabulary, their language acquisition skills and their literacy. And what we know is when we start early literacy, that has tremendous compounded effects on the community at large,” Catania says.

Every new and existing pediatric patient 5 and younger qualifies to receive a book, and Catania hopes this is just the beginning, “I would love to see this program continue and grow year after year,” he says.

If you are interested in supporting the Reach Out and Read program through LVPG, please call the Lehigh Valley Health Network Pocono Foundation at 570-476-3530.

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