The Carle Health Healthy Beginnings program, the Nurse Home Visiting Service supporting families before and after a baby is born, partnered with Books from Brek to donate hundreds of books to participating children. Books from Brek is a non-profit organization that provides books to at-risk youth in the Champaign-Urbana area to foster a love of reading as part of childhood development.
Perry and Rita Soldwedel founded Books from Brek in memory of Brek Neiswender, their grandson, in 2016. “It’s a valuable program, because children are exposed to books before school,” said Rita Soldwedel. “It helps their language development.”
Healthy Beginnings provides direct healthcare and supports clients’ ability to connect with resources to create healthy goals for families before and after the arrival of a baby. Working with other community partners, like Books from Brek, the Healthy Beginnings team can foster a strong start to a child’s future.
“We’re grateful Books from Brek chose Healthy Beginnings to help them honor this deeply personal legacy of love, literacy and community,” said Angie Hatfield Marker, executive director of development and campaigns, Carle Health Center for Philanthropy.
As a reading recovery specialist, Soldwedel saw firsthand the impact that not having access to books could have on kids. “Brek, my grandson, loved books,” Soldwedel said. “So, this felt like a good way to honor him. And Healthy Beginnings is a great program.”
“For children, especially in their earliest years, a book can be the start of a lifelong love of learning. It sparks imagination, helps build language and communication skills and creates powerful bonding moments between caregiver and child,” said Marker. “For some, it may be the first book they’ve ever owned - something they can return to again and again, providing consistency and comfort.”
“We have good book suppliers, and we try to pack new books in every bag so that the kids don’t get repeats and have the chance to read new books,” said Soldwedel. “It really helps develop language skills.”
In the spring, when the Champaign Rotary completed its Action Auction, a portion of the funds raised went to making an impact on childhood literacy through Books from Brek. This support tripled their impact of books to the at-risk infants, toddlers and school-age children throughout the Champaign-Urbana area in the Healthy Beginnings program.
In July, Books from Brek donated three hundred books to Healthy Beginnings, in English and Spanish, for ages birth through 5. Quarterly book donations will continue with the goal of improving the recipients’ vocabulary and increasing background knowledge for kindergarten and school readiness.
Books will be distributed during Home visits, at Parent Education nights, at Family Engagement events, back to school events, and as part of the Rx to Read program. The introduction of books at young ages has shown to increase kindergarten readiness outcomes. By supplying books to families, the program increases exposure to books that some may not have access to otherwise.
Marker believes that a donation from Books from Brek includes families in a story of generosity, love and remembrance. “It makes them feel seen, connected, and less alone in their parenting journey.”
Healthy Beginnings also partners with other programs fostering children’s reading habits like the Mother Goose on the Loose program created by Dr. Betsy Diamant-Cohen. The service also receives funding from PNC and United Way of Champaign County to provide resources that directly support reading in the home. The program provides reading sessions for children at the library and community at events delivering story time to children in preschools across the county and at Healthy Beginning Family Engagement Events.
“Many of the families served by Carle Healthy Beginnings face barriers—economic, social or emotional—that can make accessing basic resources challenging,” said Marker. “When they receive a book, it’s not just a gift; it’s a signal that their child’s learning and development matter to someone else. It communicates dignity, compassion and hope.”
For more information about Healthy Beginnings, visit Carle.org.
Perry and Rita Soldwedel founded Books from Brek in memory of Brek Neiswender, their grandson, in 2016. “It’s a valuable program, because children are exposed to books before school,” said Rita Soldwedel. “It helps their language development.”
Healthy Beginnings provides direct healthcare and supports clients’ ability to connect with resources to create healthy goals for families before and after the arrival of a baby. Working with other community partners, like Books from Brek, the Healthy Beginnings team can foster a strong start to a child’s future.
“We’re grateful Books from Brek chose Healthy Beginnings to help them honor this deeply personal legacy of love, literacy and community,” said Angie Hatfield Marker, executive director of development and campaigns, Carle Health Center for Philanthropy.
As a reading recovery specialist, Soldwedel saw firsthand the impact that not having access to books could have on kids. “Brek, my grandson, loved books,” Soldwedel said. “So, this felt like a good way to honor him. And Healthy Beginnings is a great program.”
“For children, especially in their earliest years, a book can be the start of a lifelong love of learning. It sparks imagination, helps build language and communication skills and creates powerful bonding moments between caregiver and child,” said Marker. “For some, it may be the first book they’ve ever owned - something they can return to again and again, providing consistency and comfort.”
“We have good book suppliers, and we try to pack new books in every bag so that the kids don’t get repeats and have the chance to read new books,” said Soldwedel. “It really helps develop language skills.”
In the spring, when the Champaign Rotary completed its Action Auction, a portion of the funds raised went to making an impact on childhood literacy through Books from Brek. This support tripled their impact of books to the at-risk infants, toddlers and school-age children throughout the Champaign-Urbana area in the Healthy Beginnings program.
In July, Books from Brek donated three hundred books to Healthy Beginnings, in English and Spanish, for ages birth through 5. Quarterly book donations will continue with the goal of improving the recipients’ vocabulary and increasing background knowledge for kindergarten and school readiness.
Books will be distributed during Home visits, at Parent Education nights, at Family Engagement events, back to school events, and as part of the Rx to Read program. The introduction of books at young ages has shown to increase kindergarten readiness outcomes. By supplying books to families, the program increases exposure to books that some may not have access to otherwise.
Marker believes that a donation from Books from Brek includes families in a story of generosity, love and remembrance. “It makes them feel seen, connected, and less alone in their parenting journey.”
Healthy Beginnings also partners with other programs fostering children’s reading habits like the Mother Goose on the Loose program created by Dr. Betsy Diamant-Cohen. The service also receives funding from PNC and United Way of Champaign County to provide resources that directly support reading in the home. The program provides reading sessions for children at the library and community at events delivering story time to children in preschools across the county and at Healthy Beginning Family Engagement Events.
“Many of the families served by Carle Healthy Beginnings face barriers—economic, social or emotional—that can make accessing basic resources challenging,” said Marker. “When they receive a book, it’s not just a gift; it’s a signal that their child’s learning and development matter to someone else. It communicates dignity, compassion and hope.”
For more information about Healthy Beginnings, visit Carle.org.
Categories: Community
Tags: Beginnings, Books, Brek, carle, center, Childhood, Community, Development, Donation, Early, for, from, giving, health, Healthcare, Healthy, philanthropy