For Immediate Release

April 14, 2026

Memorial Hospital to Send Every Newborn Home with Books

Community partnership brings Books from Birth program to South Bend

SOUTH BEND, Ind. — Memorial Hospital of South Bend is launching Books from Birth this week, becoming the first hospital in Indiana — and the latest across a select group of hospitals nationwide — to send every newborn home with a starter library of new board books. The program is made possible through a partnership with the Community Foundation of St. Joseph County and Book Harvest.

Every baby born at Memorial and discharged from the main hospital or the Beacon Children’s Hospital NICU will take home 10 new board books. This initiative is expected to reach an estimated 2,500 newborns each year, making their first days the beginning of a lifelong relationship with books and fostering a lifetime of flourishing literacy.

“Strong foundations begin early, and research shows how early exposure to books and reading aloud supports brain development, builds language and literacy skills and strengthens the bond between parent and child,” said Sarah Paturalski, interim president, Memorial Hospital. “The positive effects are lasting, and we are incredibly proud to be one of only eight hospitals to launch the program.”

Books from Birth builds on the Community Foundation of St. Joseph County's longstanding commitment to early literacy and is a natural complement to its work to put books in the hands of babies and young children through Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library.

"The Community Foundation has long believed that getting books into the hands of our youngest children is one of the highest-impact investments we can make," said Rose Meissner, president and CEO of the Community Foundation of St. Joseph County. "Together, these programs mean that a child born in St. Joseph County today will be surrounded by books from their very first day and for years to come."

Founded in Durham, N.C., in 2011, the nonprofit Book Harvest has provided more than three million books to families and is internationally recognized for its work to transform children’s literacy. Books from Birth is designed to be universal — reaching every family in a participating hospital on the birthing floor and in the NICU — and built to last, with community partnerships anchoring and sustaining the program.

"Books from Birth is rooted in a simple but powerful conviction: Every child, from their very first breath, deserves to have books in their home," said Anna Reilly, board chair of Book Harvest, and a catalytic supporter of the launch. "Partnering with Memorial Hospital and the Community Foundation of St. Joseph County allows us to reach every single newborn at Memorial Hospital — no exceptions, no gaps. This is how we build a culture of reading from the ground up."

About Book Harvest

Book Harvest’s mission is books for every child, support for every parent, and literacy for every community. Internationally recognized for its work to transform children's literacy, Book Harvest has provided more than three million books to children and families since its founding in 2011, ensuring that children grow up from birth owning an abundance of books and that parents have the tools and power to ignite and strengthen their children's literacy for a lifetime. With programs that are grounded in evidence, Book Harvest believes that literacy starts at birth, in the home, powered by parents, and nourished with books. Learn more at bookharvest.org.

About the Community Foundation of St. Joseph County

Since 1992, the Community Foundation of St. Joseph County has been connecting people who care with causes that matter. A nonprofit philanthropic endowment, the Community Foundation serves the people of St. Joseph County through initiatives and grantmaking in the areas of arts and culture, health and human services, youth and education, community development, and parks, recreation, and environment.

About Beacon Health System

Beacon Health System is a locally owned, nonprofit healthcare system serving patients across northern Indiana and southwest Michigan. Our nearly 11,000 associates and 2,500 medical staff providers, who are deeply rooted in our region, provide exceptional care with heartfelt compassion at Beacon Children's Hospital, Beacon Granger Hospital, Community Hospital of Bremen, Elkhart General Hospital, Memorial Epworth Center, Memorial Hospital of South Bend, Three Rivers Health, Beacon Kalamazoo, Beacon Allegan, Beacon Dowagiac and Beacon Plainwell. We are committed to serving underinsured and uninsured patients, furthering our commitment to community health and well-being. With our teams at Beacon Medical Group, Memorial Family Medicine Residency Program, Beacon Health Foundation and Beacon Health & Fitness, and through our partnership with Western Michigan University Homer Stryker M.D. School of Medicine, we are dedicated to delivering patient-centered care at every step of your health journey. Connect with us at BeaconHealthSystem.org.

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