Communities & Groups

READ from the START programs are offered throughout Missouri in collaboration with local nonprofit organizations that share our commitment to families, children, and lifelong learning.

How It Works:

• READ from the START is currently offered free of charge. Our target audience includes parents/caregivers who may have limited access to books, and face economic hardships or educational challenges that make reading to their children difficult.

• Local nonprofit agencies like Head Start, Parents as Teachers, libraries, or charitable agencies may contact the Missouri Humanities Council to request a READ from the START program.

• The format for the program is two 90 MINUTE sessions scheduled one to two weeks apart. Children do not attend the sessions. A certified RFTS facilitator leads the group of parents through discussions and activities.

• The host site promotes READ from the START and is responsible for doing the outreach necessary for recruiting between fifteen and twenty participants.

• The host site provides a meeting space for the program. Optional childcare and refreshments are encouraged.

• The Missouri Humanities Council provides a certified discussion leader, program materials, promotional materials and assistance necessary for creating a successful READ from the START program.