MAINE, USA — A program that has distributed nearly 4 million free books to Maine children over the past 23 years is ending.
Raising Readers, which provided books at hospitals and medical facilities for children up to 5 years old, will cease operations March 31.
"It's sad to see Raising Readers go," said Dr. Dora Mills, chief health improvement officer for MaineHealth, which helps administers the program. "My own two children remember so fondly going to the doctor's office and getting these Raising Readers books and coming home and sitting in my lap and reading. We all have fond memories of it."
The Libra Foundation, one of the largest charitable organizations in the state, donated more than $25 million to sustain the program over the years.
Though the organization will discontinue funding the program, the tradition of providing free books to Maine children will continue. Organizations like Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library and Reach Out and Read recently announced plans to expand to the state.
State officials recently approved spending $200,000 to implement Parton's program.
"A lot of good people worked to make this possible, but I want to send my personal thanks to Governor Janet Mills who helped make this dream a reality for children and families across Maine," Patron said in a statement in December.
"My mother introduced me to the library, encouraged me to read books of every kind and instilled in me a lifelong love of reading," the governor said. "I'm thrilled to help expand the Dolly Parton Imagination Library across our state so that thousands of Maine children can strengthen their reading skills and learn to love reading."
"We are thrilled to bring the impact of Reach Out and Read to the children and families of Maine," Alex Chu, regional executive director of Reach Out and Read Northeast, said in a statement. "As we expand our footprint over the next several years, we are committed to ensuring that every young child, particularly in Maine's most underserved communities, gains the lifelong benefits we know come with access to strong literacy."
Dr. Dora Mills said early literacy is paramount to a child's well-being.
"People who learn how to read early and read well and read early have better health outcomes," she said.