CentraCare – Plaza Clinic Pediatrics Little Free Library

CentraCare – Plaza Clinic Pediatrics has teamed up with United Way to install a Little Free Library outside of the pediatric clinic. This partnership will allow us to serve the community and help with early childhood literacy.

Little Free Library is a community trend and a non-profit organization based out of Minneapolis. The goal is to provide access to free books to every reader. Participants are encouraged to take a book or share a book.

Research has shown spending time reading with children improves their language and listening skills and promotes healthy brain development. Reading together has been proven to create strong bonds between parents and children. Modeling good reading behaviors during the first few years of a child’s life will help them develop healthy reading habits later in life.

The Pediatric department also has participated in Karlie’s Fund through Reach Out and Read for many years. It’s a program that has been incorporated system-wide, so all children receive a book while getting care through CentraCare.

“Having another option for families to access books is an incredible opportunity for our pediatric clinic to be part of,” said Blair Headly, RN, CentraCare – Plaza Clinic Pediatrics Manager.

This Little Free Library was built and painted by a team of volunteers from Schlenner Wenner & Co. during United Way Day of Caring. Books have been donated by the United Way Imagination Library Program funded through United Way of Central Minnesota.

United Way and CentraCare both have a common goal of serving and helping the community.