The Situation
Thirty-two percent of third graders in Richmond, Henrico, and Chesterfield are not reading at grade level. This problem affects our kids' lives profoundly. But it also affects your life directly. Whether you have kids or not.

Unless corrected, poor reading as a child impairs success as an adult and can contribute to other problems like crime and delinquency, teenage pregnancy, and unemployment. All of which drain tax dollars directly from our wallets.

It's in everyone's interest to attract America's best companies to the Richmond Region. It's in everyone's interest to curb crime. To hold down the tax rate. To maintain a healthy job market. To preserve and promote the exceptional quality of life we all love. It's in everyone's interest to help local children learn to read.

The Solution
Youth Matters mobilizes community resources on behalf of Richmond region children. Serving the City of Richmond and Henrico and Chesterfield Counties, this unique non-profit initiative of the Greater Richmond Chamber of Commerce, funded in part by The Robert Wood Johnson foundation, works for fundamental improvements to the way our region supports families and children. Youth Matters partners with neighborhood leaders, libraries, universities, schools, churches, businesses, service providers, local and state governments, and others to improve youth health and safety.

Richmond Region Reads, known as 3R, is a campaign sponsored by Youth Matters. 3R is an ambitious, region-wide endeavor to ensure that all third graders are reading at grade level by 2010. It's a bold goal, and one that is critical to the success of the Richmond Region, and every citizen who lives here. 3R is leading the effort to make sure that every person in the Richmond Region has the opportunity to help our children learn to read.

How to Get Involved: The Initiatives

HOME ADVANTAGE
Helping Parents Become Their Child's First Teachers

Our Home Advantage initiative coordinates donations of books, baby supplies and money to help parents be their child's first teachers. Specially-trained staff go into the homes of Richmond Region families, teach the parents and caregivers to read to the children, and give them age-appropriate books and ongoing parenting support.

PRESCHOOL PREP
Helping Childcare Providers Get Little Ones Ready To Read

Every day thousands of children are entrusted to the care of people other than their parents. The 3R Preschool Prep initiative helps childcare providers make reading a priority.

TUTOR IN TIME
Helping Teachers Reinforce Lessons For Borderline Readers

The 3R Tutor in Time initiative is an aggressive effort to help borderline readers. In collaboration with public schools, Tutor in Time trains and places tutors in schools to work one-on-one with kids and supplement the lessons they're struggling with.

RECREATIONAL READERS
Helping Out of School Programs Integrate Reading For Fun

What if a Little League coach ended every practice by reading a short story to the team?

Our Recreational Readers initiative encourages organizers of extra-curricular activities to make reading a regular element of their training, practice, or instructional sessions.

REACH OUT AND READ
Helping Healthcare Providers Prescribe Books for Kids

The 3R Reach Out And Read initiative gets books into children's hands by making them available in healthcare facilities. The idea is for parents and children who visit a doctor's office, clinic, hospital, or other healthcare provider to have access not only to a selection of age-appropriate books, but also support and encouragement to read together, and even the opportunity to take the books home.

BUILD A BOOK BANK
Helping the Whole Community Make Reading A Priority For Kids

Our Build A Book Bank initiative coordinates not just donations and distribution of books, but also funding, collecting, warehousing, sorting and classifying.

Get Involved For Selfish Reasons
To learn more about how you can help, visit www.RichmondRegionReads.com