An Interview With Earl Martin Phalen, CEO, Reach Out and Read

FundRaising Success: Please tell us a little about the organization's history.
Earl Martin Phalen: Since its inception in 1989 at Boston City Hospital (now Boston Medical Center), Reach Out and Read has revolutionized the field of pediatric care. Using a three-part literacy promotion model developed by pediatricians and educators, Reach Out and Read has grown exponentially, blossoming from 34 programs in nine states in 1994 to our current 4,654 sites across all 50 states in 2011. Reach Out and Read now serves 3.9 million children (more than one-third of American children living in poverty) and distributes 6.4 million books annually.