Kaiser program prescribes
books to kids

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Star-Bulletin staff

Contributions totaling $66,150 have been received by Kaiser Permanente Hawaii's Pediatrics Department to help infants and children develop literary skills.

The department adopted a national literacy program, Reach Out and Read, and organizations, businesses and Congress are helping to support it.

The program includes three major parts:

>> Volunteers at all Kaiser pediatric clinics read aloud with children in clinic waiting rooms.

>> Parents receive advice about the importance of reading and tips on how to read with their children during visits or regular physicals.

>> Children ages 6 months to 5 years receive a new book during visits.

"This has enabled us to put brand-new, developmentally appropriate books in the hands of children," said Geila Fukumitsu, child-life coordinator at Kaiser's Moanalua Medical Center.

More than 38,000 new books have been distributed to children since October 2000, she said.

"The program targets very young children because the development of language begins during the first several years of life," she said.

The fund-raising goal for the program annually is $53,315.

Contributions include:

>> $20,650 from the U.S. Department of Education. The grant was Kaiser Permanente's share of $2 million to the Reach Out and Read National Center.

>> $6,000 from Tesoro Hawaii for Leeward area clinics.

>> $10,000 from Verizon Foundation.

>> $9,500 from Hawaii Community Foundation, Hawaii Pizza Hut Literacy Fund.

>> $5,000 from Bank of Hawaii.

>> $15,000 from Kaiser Permanente's clinic administration.

New or "gently used" books may be donated at any of Kaiser's pediatric departments. Volunteers also are needed who can spend at least two hours a week for three months to read to children.

For more information, call Geila Fukumitsu at 432-8938.