United Community Heath Center News

Book Drive at UCHC

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Celebrate the gift of reading! United Community Health Center is hosting a book drive during 2009 to collect children’s books to enhance their Reach Out & Read Program through out the year. The health center is accepting book donations of both new and good condition used books for children of all ages.

book driveThe health center hopes to gather approximately 1,400 books in order to present each child a book to keep after every visit during 2009. United Community Health Center participates in Reach Out and Read, a national non-profit organization that promotes early literacy by giving new books to children and advice to parents about the importance of reading aloud.

“Reading is an important basic fundamental of early childhood development. Through the Reach Out & Read program we encourage parents to share books with their children so the child will develop an early positive attachment to books,” explains Linda McClintock, nurse practitioner at United Community Health Center. “Research show that reading to children improves the child’s ability to express themselves verbally, increase their listening vocabularies and aids in reducing the number of children with language delays which can prevent them from succeeding in school.”

United Community Health Center will accept donations of new, developmentally and culturally appropriate books, used books and monetary donations to purchase books. United Community Health Center has access to reduced priced children’s books through their Reach Out & Read affiliation. Used books must be gently used (covers and pages intact, clean and readable). Hardcover picture books with brightly colored pictures and interesting stories are ideal.

Book donations can be dropped off at United Community Health Center at 630 Ontario Street in Storm Lake, Monday through Saturday during clinic hours.
Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday 9 to 6, Thursday 9 to 8, Friday and Saturday 9 to 5. Service groups are encouraged to mark their book donations with a “Compliments of” label.

United Community Health Center is an integrated health care system, with accessible and affordable services, meeting the quality of life for all residents living in the service area. It is the mission of the United Community Health Center to provide comprehensive primary care services to anyone including those with health insurance and the uninsured, underinsured and underserved.