Ford Logan and Alexis Vilardi preview some of the titles that will be available through the new Williamson County chapter of Books from Birth of Middle Tennessee, managed by the Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt.
Books from Birth program turns page in Williamson Co.
Books from Birth of Middle Tennessee, managed by the Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt, recently launched its second chapter, this one located in Williamson County.
In December, some 9,000 children in Williamson County became eligible to sign up for Gov. Phil Bredesen's program, which provides a free book, by mail, every month to children up to age 5.
The hospital already manages the Books from Birth program in Davidson County.
Shirley Spruill, director of the Franklin Special School District Even Start Program, is one of the people who works to connect Williamson County families in need with services like Books from Birth.
“We believe that every child deserves to have access to books, and this program provides that,” Spruill said.
“It can be a challenge to locate these families, many of whom speak English as a second language, but now that we have Books from Birth, we will work to encourage the families in our program to sign their children up.”
The Books from Birth Foundation covers half the cost of each month's book order with Books from Birth of Middle Tennessee and its partners raising the remaining funds.
Books from Birth of Middle Tennessee was founded by Children's Hospital, the Nashville Public Library, Jo's Reach Out and Read, NashvilleRead, Ingram Industries, WTVF-NewsChannel 5, Dollywood Foundation and the Governor's Books from Birth Foundation. Additional sponsors include Cracker Barrel Foundation, Alcoa and Middle Tennessee Electric.
For more information, call 936-3554, e-mail read.books@vanderbilt.edu, or visit www.vanderbiltchildrens.com.