Volunteer Opportunity: Reach Out and Read Program!

Bellevue Hospital's Reach Out and Read Program
Winter/Spring 2012 Applications

Bellevue Hospital’s Reach Out and Read Program is looking for volunteer readers. This program promotes early literacy in the pediatric outpatient clinic. Volunteers read to children while they wait to see their pediatrician, specialty clinic doctor, or pediatric dentist.

The Reach Out and Read program has:

• Volunteers reading to children and modeling reading aloud for parents in the clinic waiting room.
• Bilingual Parent Educators offering guidance to parents about literacy and language development.
• Doctors counseling families and giving children books to take home from their regular pediatric visit.

The children who participate in Reach Out and Read are NOT HOSPITALIZED. They are being seen in the pediatric clinic for "well child", "specialty clinic" or dental care. The program operates Monday through Friday, between 9:15 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.

Individuals interested in volunteering will need to commit:

• Volunteering once a week for two-hours for a minimum total of 64 hours.
• Volunteers will be required to submit an application, tour the program, have an informal interview and a “pre-reading” session. There is also a medical clearance before acceptance into the program.

Our schedule is on a first come, first serve basis so the sooner we receive your application the more options you will have.

Thank you for your interest. I am looking forward to hearing from you as soon as possible. If you have any questions or would like more information, or to request an application, please contact A. Marie Betancourt at RORAMarie1@aol.com or call 212-562-2333.