2023-10-30T09:41:10-05:00 2023-06-30 060903326 WHITTLESEY PC 280 TRUMBULL ST 24TH FL HARTFORD CT 06103 990 2022-07-01 061572185 READ TO GROW INC READ 2034886800 53 SCHOOL GROUND RD UNIT 3 BRANFORD CT 06405 JEFF HARTMANN CHAIR 2034886800 2023-10-25 1 JEFF HARTMANN 999009999 0 KIMBERLY NAPP P01390521 8605223111 2 AAL1 IAL1 2022 2023-04-26 12:10:37Z JEFF HARTMANN 53 SCHOOL GROUND RD UNIT 3 BRANFORD CT 06405 1664826 0 X READTOGROW.ORG X 2000 CT TO PROMOTE LANGUAGE SKILLS AND LITERACY FOR CHILDREN, BEGINNING AT BIRTH, AND TO SUPPORT PARENTS AS THEIR BABIES' FIRST TEACHERS. 14 14 19 151 0 0 1166627 1563622 75113 82629 252 3 -24729 -17111 1217263 1629143 0 0 0 0 720428 791794 0 0 117972 708359 645065 1428787 1436859 -211524 192284 1292928 1747209 33566 285633 1259362 1461576 X OUR MISSION IS TO PROMOTE LANGUAGE SKILLS AND LITERACY FOR CHILDREN, BEGINNING AT BIRTH, AND TO SUPPORT FAMILIES AS THEIR BABIES' FIRST TEACHERS. OUR VISION IS THAT EVERY FAMILY WILL APPRECIATE THE CRITICAL IMPORTANCE OF EARLY CHILDHOOD LITERACY AND WILL ENGAGE IN THEIR CHILD'S READING DEVELOPMENT. ALL CHILDREN IN CONNECTICUT WILL HAVE BOOKS OF THEIR OWN. 0 0 361923 75977 READ TO GROW, INC. (THE ORGANIZATION") OPERATES THROUGHOUT CONNECTICUT AND HAS GIVEN MORE THAN 2.6 MILLION CHILDREN'S BOOKS IN ITS 23 YEARS OF EDUCATING PARENTS AND CHILDCARE PROVIDERS - THROUGH WORKSHOPS AND LITERACY PACKETS - ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF DEVELOPING CHILDREN'S LANGUAGE SKILLS AND LITERACY. EACH YEAR THE ORGANIZATION DISTRIBUTES APPROXIMATELY 100,000 BOOKS THROUGH FOUR PROGRAMS: THE FLAGSHIP PROGRAM BOOKS FOR BABIES, THE BOOKS FOR KIDS PROGRAM, THE EARLY STEPS TO SCHOOL SUCCESS PROGRAM AND THE NEWEST PROGRAM, THE READ TO GROW BOOKMOBILE. ALONG WITH STAFF, THE ORGANIZATION RELIES ON A CORPS OF REGULAR VOLUNTEERS WHO WORK IN THE OFFICE/WAREHOUSE AND VISIT FAMILIES AT PARTNER HOSPITALS. BOOKS FOR BABIES THIS PROGRAM OPERATES THREE DISTINCT PROJECTS: PRENATAL PROJECT, THE NEWBORN PROJECT AND THE NICU PROJECT. THE PRENATAL PROJECT FOCUSES ON DISTRIBUTING FREE CHILDREN'S BOOKS AND INFORMATION ON BRAIN DEVELOPMENT AND LITERACY TO EXPECTING FAMILIES RECEIVING PRENATAL CARE AT COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTERS. THE NEWBORN PROJECT OPERATES IN 14 PARTNER HOSPITALS, GIVING ALL FAMILIES WITH NEWBORNS LITERACY PACKETS THAT INCLUDE BOOKS FOR THEIR BABIES AND PARENTAL GUIDES ON HOW TO SUPPORT INFANTS' LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT. IN 50% OF THE PARTNER HOSPITALS, TRAINED VOLUNTEERS VISIT THE FAMILIES TO TALK ABOUT BABY BRAIN AND LITERACY DEVELOPMENT. MORE THAN 60% OF CONNECTICUT'S FAMILIES WITH NEWBORNS ARE REACH THROUGH THIS PROGRAM, WHICH ALSO OFFERS A FREE OPT-IN FOLLOW-UP PROGRAM WITH MORE BOOKS AND INFORMATION MAILED TO ENROLLED FAMILIES AT THEIR CHILD'S THREE MONTH AND ONE-YEAR MILESTONES. IN SPRING 2020, THE ORGANIZATION LAUNCHED A PARTNERSHIP WITH CONNECTICUT CHILDREN'S NICU TO PROVIDE CHILDREN'S BOOKS FOR PARENTS TO READ TO THEIR BABIES ADMITTED TO THE NICU AND IN SPRING 2021, FOLLOWING A SUCCESSFUL PILOT YEAR WITH CONNECTICUT CHILDREN'S NICU, THE ORGANIZATION'S BOARD OF DIRECTORS OFFICIALLY APPROVED THE NICU PROJECT TO EXPAND TO OTHER SITES AS FUNDING AND PARTNERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES WILL ALLOW. IN WINTER 2022, READ TO GROW LAUNCHED THE NICU PROJECT AT CONNECTICUT CHILDREN'S FARMINGTON LOCATIONAND IN WINTER 2023, READ TO GROW LAUNCHED A THIRD NICU PROJECT SITE AT THE HOSPITAL OF CENTRAL CONNECTICUT IN NEW BRITAIN. 272464 6194 BOOKS FOR KIDS IN ADDITION TO THE FOCUS ON PRENATAL AND NEWBORN FAMILIES, BOOKS FOR KIDS GIVES MORE THAN 50,000 BOOKS ANNUALLY TO CHILDREN AND FAMILIES ACROSS CONNECTICUT THROUGH FORMAL COLLABORATIONS WITH OTHER NONPROFITS ALREADY SERVING LOW-INCOME POPULATIONS. MANY OF THE PARTNERSHIPS CALL FOR DELIVERY OF THOUSANDS OF BOOKS EACH YEAR AND WORKSHOPS FOR FAMILIES WITH YOUNG CHILDREN. ADDITIONALLY, THE ORGANIZATION CURRENTLY MAINTAINS BOOK PLACES AROUND THE STATE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION; FAMILIES ARE ABLE TO COME AND SELECT BOOKS TO TAKE HOME FOR THEIR HOME LIBRARIES. FINALLY IN RESPONSE TO REQUESTS, BOOKS FOR KIDS ALSO GIVES FREE CHILDREN'S BOOKS TO HUNDREDS OF TEACHERS, DOCTORS' OFFICES, OTHER HEALTHCARE AND CHILDCARE PROVIDERS, AND OTHER NONPROFITS, INCLUDING OTHER LITERACY FOCUSED AGENCIES AND MAILS BOOKS HOME TO FAMILIES WHO REQUEST BOOKS ONLINE. MANY COMMUNITY PARTNERS SERVE FAMILIES WHO SPEAK LANGUAGES OTHER THAN ENGLISH AND BOOKS FOR KIDS STRIVES TO PROVIDE BILINGUAL BOOKS IN OTHER LANGUAGES WHEN POSSIBLE. 506130 458 EARLY STEPS TO SCHOOL SUCCESS ("ESSS") IN EARLY 2019, THE ORGANIZATION LAUNCHED A THIRD PROGRAM IN PARTNERSHIP WITH SAVE THE CHILDREN FOR YOUNG CHILDREN LIVING IN POVERTY IN NEW HAVEN. ESSS IS A LITERACY-PROMOTING PROGRAM DESIGNED BY SAVE THE CHILDREN FOR CHILDREN PRE-BIRTH TO AGE 5. ESSS AIMS TO PREPARE CHILDREN FOR SCHOOL SUCCESS THROUGH HOME VISITS, PARENT-CHILD PLAYGROUPS, AND SCHOOL-BASED BOOK EXCHANGES AND DISTRIBUTIONS. IN 2020, ESS EXPANDED TO 4 SCHOOLS IN NEW HAVEN AND IN 2021 LAUNCHED AT 4 SCHOOLS IN BRIDGEPORT. COORDINATORS FOR THE PROGRAM SERVE OVER 200 FAMILIES. 99669 BOOKMOBILE - IN SEPTEMBER 2022, THE ORGANIZATION LAUNCHED A NEW PROGRAM: THE READ TO GROW BOOKMOBILE. CENTREVILLE BANK PROVIDED THE FUNDING TO PURCHASE THE VEHICLE AND OTHER FOUNDATIONS AND INDIVIDUALS HAVE CONTRIBUTED FUNDS TO PROVIDE BOOKS. THE BOOKMOBILE TRAVELS ACROSS THE STATE AND PROVIDES AN IMMERSIVE EXPERIENCE FOR CHILDREN, FAMILIES AND CHILDCARE PROVIDERS WHO ARE ABLE TO BOARD THE BOOKMOBILE AND CHOOSE BOOKS TO KEEP. THE BOOKMOBILE EXPANDS AND DEEPENS READ TO GROW'S REACH ACROSS CONNECTICUT AND ENSURES THAT CHILDREN AND FAMILIES HAVE READY ACCESS TO HIGH QUALITY BOOKS.MANAGING SPONSOR - BRIDGEPORT BOOK FESTIVAL IN WINTER 2019, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH SENATOR CHRIS MURPHY AND RJ JULIA BOOKSELLERS, THE ORGANIZATION LAUNCHED THE BRIDGEPORT BOOK FESTIVAL AS THE MANAGING SPONSOR. THE FIRST LIVE EVENT FOR THE BRIDGEPORT BOOK FESTIVAL WAS SCHEDULED TO OCCUR IN MAY 2020 BUT WAS PUT ON HOLD DUE TO THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC ("COVID-19"). IN THE MEANTIME, PARTNERS WERE ABLE TO DISTRIBUTE THOUSANDS OF BRAND-NEW BOOKS TO CHILDREN IN KINDERGARTEN-8TH GRADE AT MEAL DISTRIBUTION SITES AROUND THE CITY IN RESPONSE TO COVID-19. THE FESTIVAL COMMITTEE HOPES TO REIGNITE ENERGY AROUND THE BOOK FESTIVAL AND OFFICIALLY LAUNCH SOON.PUBLICATIONS - THE ORGANIZATION SELF-PUBLISHED A BOOK, WELCOME TO THE WORLD!, IN 2012 AND CONTINUES TO PURCHASE AND DISTRIBUTE COPIES IN THE LITERACY PACKETS DISTRIBUTED IN THE HOSPITALS THROUGH THE BOOKS FOR BABIES PROGRAM. THE BOOK WAS WRITTEN EXPRESSLY FOR THE ORGANIZATION BY NANCY ELIZABETH WALLACE AND WAS ILLUSTRATED BY MARSELA HAJADINIJAK-KREC OF CROATIA. WELCOME TO THE WORLD! OFFERS SIMPLE MESSAGES OF CELEBRATING FAMILIES AND BABIES: LEARNING STARTS AT BIRTH; THE PARENT IS THE CHILD'S FIRST TEACHER; AND READING, SINGING, PLAYING, AND BONDING WITH BABY IS HELPFUL TO THEIR GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT. THE ORGANIZATION PUBLISHED A NEW BOARD BOOK IN JUNE 2021, HELLO SOMETIMES, FOR THE BIRTH 5 AGE GROUP. HELLO SOMETIMES, WRITTEN BY AMY VATNER AND ILLUSTRATED BY GABRIELLA SVENNINGSEN, HELPS CAREGIVERS AND FAMILIES PROCESS THE ONGOING CHALLENGES OF THE PANDEMIC WITH YOUNG CHILDREN. THE BOOK FEATURES SIMPLE RHYMES, DYNAMIC WATERCOLOR ILLUSTRATIONS, AND A DIVERSE ARRAY OF CHARACTERS. THANKS TO THE INCREDIBLE GENEROSITY OF SPONSORS AND DONORS, THE ORGANIZATION PROVIDED 25,962 COPIES OF HELLO SOMETIMES FREE OF CHARGE TO CHILDREN AGES BIRTH 5 ENROLLED IN THE PARTNER CHILDCARE AND PRESCHOOL PROGRAMS ACROSS CONNECTICUT IN THE FISCAL YEAR ENDED JUNE 30, 2022 AND 6,214 COPIES IN THE YEAR ENDED JUNE 30, 2023. 99669 1240186 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 8 0 1 19 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 X 14 14 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 CT X PAULA GRIMM 2034886800 53 SCHOOL GROUND RD UNIT 3 BRANFORD CT 06405 SUZANNAH HOLSENBECK EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR 40.00 X 97431 0 0 JEFF HARTMANN CHAIR 1.20 X X 0 0 0 DR MONETTE FERGUSON VICE CHAIR 0.70 X X 0 0 0 JANE W LEE TREASURER 0.70 X X 0 0 0 LORI CHURCH SECRETARY 0.60 X X 0 0 0 ROXANNE J COADY BOARD CHAIR EMERITUS 0.00 X 0 0 0 KAREN PRITZKER BOARD EMERITUS 0.00 X 0 0 0 LISA MAASS DIRECTOR 0.50 X 0 0 0 CARLA M HORWITZ DIRECTOR 0.60 X 0 0 0 JOSHUA A COPEL DIRECTOR 0.30 X 0 0 0 MARY KAY CURTISS DIRECTOR 0.70 X 0 0 0 JENNIFER GROVE FUSCO DIRECTOR 0.50 X 0 0 0 SHERENE MASON DIRECTOR 0.25 X 0 0 0 BONNIE L PATTEN DIRECTOR 0.25 X 0 0 0 JOEL CRUZ DIRECTOR 0.25 X 0 0 0 ANNA REITER DIRECTOR 0.15 X 0 0 0 97431 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 56752 224927 1281943 91773 1563622 HOSPITAL FEES 611710 75400 75400 OTHER 611710 5473 5473 BOOK DELIVERY FEES 611710 1234 1234 BOOK SALES 611710 522 522 82629 3 3 18572 56752 35683 -17111 -17111 1629143 82629 0 -17108 97431 77945 9743 9743 633857 516234 46954 70669 60506 49219 4628 6659 29104 29104 15743 5365 3314 7064 6484 3577 2352 555 69737 60523 4318 4896 8010 7830 37 143 13748 11136 1100 1512 19306 17200 945 1161 BOOKS, MATERIALS AND SU 267117 267117 0 0 EARLY STEPS TO SCHOOL S 124442 124442 0 0 MISCELLANEOUS 26317 16652 2218 7447 BOOK DISTRIBUTION COSTS 23659 23559 0 100 41398 30283 3092 8023 1436859 1240186 78701 117972 538299 519373 5621 5623 307500 542500 230103 231315 7925 9740 174781 96001 92528 78780 103692 113822 7260 246056 1292928 1747209 33566 34287 0 251346 33566 285633 X 776707 746386 482655 715190 1259362 1461576 1292928 1747209 192284 9930 0 X X 0 1 X 1 0 X 2077339 1017007 845839 1098795 1502045 6541025 2077339 1017007 845839 1098795 1502045 6541025 1233169 5307856 615 893 776 252 3 2539 51020 44276 95296 6638860 258941 0.79950 0.76050 X RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED 103692 200 9930 113822 121394 -17702 103692 94543 26851 121394 94543 94543 1.00000 0 0 10544 10544 0 164237 85457 78780 78780 ASSETS HELD BY OTHERS 113822 F 113822 OPERATING LEASE RIGHT OF USE ASSET 238796 SECURITY DEPOSIT 2800 TRADEMARK 4460 246056 OPERATING LEASE LIABILITY 251346 251346 1674756 9930 9930 1664826 -35683 -35683 1629143 1472542 35683 35683 1436859 0 1436859 PART XI, LINE 4B - OTHER ADJUSTMENTS: SPECIAL EVENT EXPENSE -35,683. PART XII, LINE 2D - OTHER ADJUSTMENTS: SPECIAL EVENT EXPENSES 35,683. AUTHOR EVENTS 36507 27410 9097 16670 LITERACY BLOOMS IN PERSON EVENT 38817 29342 9475 19004 75324 56752 18572 35674 35674 -17102 X 91773 USED $1/NEW 50% RETAIL 0 0 0 FORM 990, PART VI, SECTION B, LINE 11B THE FINANCE COMMITTEE WORKS WITH THE AUDITORS TO PREPARE FORM 990. THE FORM IS SUBMITTED TO THE AUDIT COMMITTEE AND BOARD OF DIRECTORS PRIOR TO FILING. FORM 990, PART VI, SECTION B, LINE 12C THE CONFLICT OF INTEREST POLICY, ALONG WITH A LIST OF THE ORGANIZATION'S VENDORS, IS DISTRIBUTED TO ALL BOARD MEMBERS AND EMPLOYEES ANNUALLY. EACH PERSON SIGNS AND RETURNS THE POLICY ACKNOWLEDGING ANY POSSIBLE CONFLICT. THIS INFORMATION IS REVIEWED ANNUALLY BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS' GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE. FORM 990, PART VI, SECTION B, LINE 15 LINE 15A - COMPENSATION PROCESS FOR TOP OFFICIAL. THE EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION POLICY APPLIES TO THE COMPENSATION OF THE ORGANIZATION'S CHIEF EMPLOYED EXECUTIVE AND OTHER OFFICERS AND KEY EMPLOYEES, AS APPLICABLE. THE PROCESS INCLUDES ALL OF THESE ELEMENTS: (1) REVIEW AND APPROVAL BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OR COMPENSATION COMMITTEE OF THE ORGANIZATION; (2) USE OF DATA AS TO COMPARABLE COMPENSATION; AND (3) CONTEMPORANEOUS DOCUMENTATION AND RECORDKEEPING. LINE 15B - COMPENSATION PROCESS FOR OFFICERS. THE EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION POLICY APPLIES TO THE COMPENSATION OF THE ORGANIZATION'S CHIEF EMPLOYED EXECUTIVE, OTHER OFFICERS OR KEY EMPLOYEES OF THE ORGANIZATION. FORM 990, PART VI, SECTION C, LINE 19 THE ORGANIZATION'S GOVERNING DOCUMENTS ARE AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST. FORM 990, PART XII, LINE 2C: THE ORGANIZATION DID NOT CHANGE ITS PROCESS FROM THE PRIOR YEAR.