PROVIDENCE – Reach Out and Read Rhode Island will honor Brenda Seagrave-Whittle, chief marketing officer of Neighborhood Health Plan of Rhode Island, as a “community hero” at its upcoming annual celebration.
A research-driven, early literacy organization, Reach Out and Read is hosting its annual fundraising event on May 11 at the Providence Art Club. At the event, Seagrave-Whittle will be recognized for her commitment to pediatric literacy.
It’s Okay Not to Be Okay: Why We Need to Talk About Maternal Mental Health
Q&A with Megin Dalton, MD, Center for Women’s Health at South County Health Each May,…
Learn More
“This year, we are excited to recognize Brenda Seagrave-Whittle with the Community Hero Award for her long-standing commitment to early literacy and her direct involvement in establishing the Rhode Island chapter of Reach Out and Read,” said Aimee Falso, executive director of Reach Out and Read Rhode Island. “Brenda was instrumental in developing and nurturing our chapter and has remained over the years a stalwart supporter of our mission. Her deep devotion to getting books into the hands of children and to promoting the benefits of reading aloud with them – even far before our chapter was created – embodies the spirit of this award.”
The organization partners with medical providers to provide books to children. Seagrave-Whittle established Thundermist Health Center as the first Reach Out and Read site in Rhode Island early in her career, when she was a social worker at the Woonsocket health center. Over the years, she has helped expand the program.
“Through Reach Out and Read, we created a process that ensured every child a book as they left the health center,” Seagrave-Whittle said. “Our goal was both to build vocabulary among children and to create a truly positive experience for families.”
Seagrave-Whittle, who joined Neighborhood Health in 2001, was on the board of Reach Out and Read Rhode Island from 2004 to 2016.
(Update changes the length of time Brenda Seagrave-Whittle was on the board of Reach Out and Read Rhode Island in the last paragraph.)
Claudia Chiappa is a PBN staff writer. You may contact her at Chiappa@PBN.com.
