24 FRONTDOORS MEDIA | MAY 2018 10 QUESTIONS WITH... CONTINUED services because it’s a key component of a child’s early learning. Some of our programs that focus specifically on early language and literacy development include Raising A Reader, a national, evidence-based program that works with families in low-income communities to develop and foster a love of reading; Reach Out and Read, also part of a national program that incorporates books into pediatricians’ offices to provide early literacy skills training for parents and encourage families to read aloud together; and Tell Me a Story, an early language and literacy program for caregivers of children ages birth to 3. 8. YOU DO A GREAT DEAL OF WORK WITH CHILDREN WITH DEVELOPMENTAL ISSUES. COULD YOU EXPAND ON SOME OF THOSE PROGRAMS? Early childhood can be a challenging time for any child and their family. For families who have children with developmental delays or disabilities, this time can be especially difficult. We work to support these families in every way possible to help them find the answers they need and live the best quality of life. Some of these programs include our Children’s Developmental Center, which provides assessment, diagnosis and treatment of young children with disabilities such as autism or feeding disorders, and our ADAPT Shop, which builds custom support devices for children with physical disabilities to better experience and navigate their home and community life. 9. IF PARENTS ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THEIR YOUNG CHILD’S DEVELOPMENT, WHAT SHOULD THEY DO? We discovered long ago that many parents struggle to find the support they need when experiencing issues related to their child’s development. This included going from specialist to specialist searching for answers if their child wasn’t meeting their developmental milestones, calling family and friends for answers, and more. To help connect people directly with experienced early childhood professionals, we launched the Birth to Five sustainable lifestyle magazine ArizonA’s only Your conscious life M a g a z i n e Promoting sustainable businesses for over 7 years Our mission is to educate, inspire and empower our readership to make eco-conscious decisions for a healthy life and healthy planet. advertise in the only eco-conscious lifestyle magazine in arizona and reach conscious, brand-loyal consumers 480-840-1589 | sales@greenlivingaz.com

MAY 2018 | FRONTDOORS MEDIA 25 Grow A Reader Campaign Involves Businesses Valleywide Did you know that there is only one book per 300 children in low-income neighborhoods? In contrast, children living in upper- and middle- income areas have 13 books each. Southwest Human Development is launching a campaign to promote reading and children’s access to books through its Grow A Reader virtual book drive. Donating to the drive is simple. People can visit a participating Grow A Reader business location, “pick a flower” and purchase books online at swhd.org/GAR to help get children’s books into the hands of kids who need them most. Books start at $3.99 and are also eligible for a dollar-for- dollar Arizona Charitable Tax Credit up to $800. This year’s participating Grow A Reader partners include Camelback Toyota, Copper Star Coffee, Even Stevens Sandwiches, FEZ, Garcia’s Mexican Restaurant, HobNob’s, Joe’s Diner, MOD Pizza, My Slice of the Pie Pizzeria, Picazzo’s, Short Leash Hot Dogs + Rollover Doughnuts and Spinato’s Pizzeria. Visit swhd.org/GAR to learn more. Helpline (877-705-KIDS), which is a free service to all Arizona parents, caregivers and professionals who have questions or concerns about their child’s development. Callers receive support around a variety of topics like sleep, feeding, challenging behaviors, general parenting questions and more. One of the best parts of the Helpline is that callers can also be referred to programs and services that can provide further assistance. 10. HOW CAN MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY SUPPORT THE WORK SOUTHWEST HUMAN DEVELOPMENT IS DOING FOR YOUNG CHILDREN AND THEIR FAMILIES? There are so many ways people can give back to their community by supporting Southwest Human Development. Whether it’s by making their Arizona Charitable Tax Credit donation of up to $800 to support our programs, or attending Walk With Me, our annual fundraiser to support children with disabilities, we’ve got something for people of all ages! A fun way people can get involved during the month of May is to support our Grow A Reader virtual book drive. We’ve partnered with more than a dozen businesses across the Valley to support this early literacy effort. Simply visit swhd.org/GAR , select the book titles you would like to donate, complete your tax-deductible financial donation and we’ll get the books into the hands of kids who need them the most!