- Benay Hicks
- Apr 21
- 1 min read
Woman’s Hospital, BRAF, and Book Harvest launch new literacy initiative
By James Peck
The Livingston Parish News
Posted Thursday, April 16, 2026 11:00 am
BATON ROUGE, La. — Today, leaders from Woman’s Hospital, the Baton Rouge Area Foundation, and Book Harvest proudly announced the Books from Birth early literacy initiative. This program is designed to empower families by providing newborns and their parents with a starter home library kit to help foster a lifelong love of reading as early as possible.
“This is a unique opportunity to partner with Book Harvest and BRAF to advance literacy in our community and make a meaningful impact beyond the walls of our hospital,” said Rene Ragas, CEO of Woman’s Hospital. “We want every family we serve to have the support they need to raise healthy, thriving children. By providing this free resource, we are equipping families with tools that can positively impact their children’s future.”
The Books from Birth starter library kit includes 10 new board books, babywear, and additional resources to help parents introduce early language and reading routines. The initiative aims to build a strong foundation for literacy, supporting families as they nurture their children’s development through reading.