Physicians at North Texas Rainbow Pediatrics recently treated young patients and their families to free books courtesy of Texas BookShare, with a side of food and fun.
The event, “Books and Brunch,” hosted by Dallas pediatricians Aralis Santiago-Plaud, MD, and Rose Lange, MD, saw a high attendance of area families interested in healthy habits and new books – especially the “crowd favorite,” The Astounding Broccoli Boy.
“We had none left by the end of the day,” Dr. Santiago said. “We were able to establish connections with patients and provide educational materials at no cost to families in our community.”
Since 2021, Texas BookShare has aimed to place big ideas into little hands across Texas by providing funding for books to Texas Medical Association Alliance chapters and physicians, in collaboration with county medical societies, local physicians and clinics, and community organizations.
The program tasks physicians to “prescribe” books on healthy living topics to their young patients during well-checks and grew from a collaboration between Bell County Medical Society Alliance, The Leaders Readers Network nonprofit, and Baylor Scott & White McLane Children’s Medical Center. Books are offered in English and Spanish for a variety of age groups. Funded by the TMA Foundation, Texas BookShare has grown to 14 Texas counties, with more than 9,200 Texas children having received a book since 2021.
Dr. Santiago-Plaud and her daughter, Noralis Rodriguez, a second-year medical student at McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston, spent the hours leading up to the Dallas brunch event labeling books and writing personal messages to each patient.
Once families started to arrive, the mother-daughter duo shared information about the Texas BookShare program and let the young patients pick out a book of their choice, after which they had their choice of face painting and games and a Tex-Mex style breakfast.
For families in an underserved area, the brunch and free books “meant the world,” Ms. Rodriguez said.
“The children were so happy. Their faces lit up with every book given,” she said. “It was an amazing opportunity to give back to our patient population, which is primarily underserved, and promote reading and community in a very personalized way.”
Thanks to generous support from the TMA Foundation, TMA Alliance chapters, county medical societies, and TMA physician members can host a Texas BookShare event for free. First-time hosts receive a $1,500 grant to purchase books available in English and Spanish, for a selection of multiple age groups.
To apply, visit the Texas BookShare request page. To donate, visit the TMA Foundation endowment page.
Alisa Pierce
Reporter, Division of Communications and Marketing
(512) 370-1469