When children come to see Angela Morgan, the family practice nurse at the Digby & Area Health Services Centre, they don’t just get needles.
When Angela sees children for their wellness checks she asks if they are being read to daily. “When children are read to daily, it has a positive impact on their outcomes,” said Angela. “It can improve kids’ success in school, their language and social skills, and even help when they eventually enter the workforce. Being read to makes kids healthier.”
When Angela noticed how many families were not reading together, she decided to do something to help. Angela came up with a plan to put free books in the hands of the children she sees in the clinic. The books would be combined with a conversation about just how important reading is for kids’ health.
With the help of the fundraising efforts of a local young man named Quintin Sweeney and the Digby & Area Health Services Charitable Foundation, Angela was provided with funds to purchase new books from First Book Canada. First Book Canada provides low-cost books to organizations that provide services to low-income children.
These books are now being given to all children who come to see Angela for wellness checkups, along with a big dose of encouragement. Angela is hoping these books will help foster a love of reading and ultimately, healthier children in our community.