National Reading Month: How REACH-A-Child inspires young readers at Kids in the Rotunda
Hope Horne
Overture is excited to celebrate National Reading Month in March by highlighting our partnership with REACH-A-Child, a Madison-based nonprofit dedicated to helping first responders comfort children in crisis with books. The organization also provides books to community organizations working with children.
Since 2018, REACH-A-Child has donated 400-600 books to Kids in the Rotunda each season. What started as a simple conversation between Overture’s community engagement team and REACH-A-Child’s executive director, Curtis Fuszard, quickly grew into a meaningful initiative to provide free children’s books to families attending the beloved Saturday performances.
“If there’s a way to fill a need in the community, we want to do it,” said Fuszard.
Families attending Kids in the Rotunda may have noticed the little library cart, a feature that encourages young readers to pick out books before or after a performance—and even take them home. The library serves as a quiet, engaging way for children and families to connect while waiting for the show to start.
The idea for this partnership came to Fuszard after he attended Kids in the Rotunda with his granddaughter. He saw firsthand how families arrived early to get good seats, creating a natural gap in time before the performances began.
“If we provided children’s books, mom or dad can read with them while they wait for the show,” said Fuszard. “It fills a need and helps families bond. It’s a win-win for everybody, and we are so happy to do it.”
Each year, REACH-A-Child provides approximately 30,000 new books to first responders all across the state, ensuring emergency personnel have a way to connect with and comfort children in stressful situations.
First responders using REACH-a-child books
While 95% of their book donations go directly to first responder teams, the organization also looks for other ways to serve communities in need, whether through donating to libraries, jails or programs like Kids in the Rotunda.
REACH-A-Child's mission is simple: to provide children with books that ease distress and create positive experiences. At Overture, that mission aligns perfectly with Kids in the Rotunda, where literacy and live performance go hand in hand.
“My primary hope is that these books help foster meaningful experiences,” said Fuszard. “Any free time kids have before or after the show can be spent productively, engaging as a family through the power of a book.”
To raise awareness, each donated book includes a REACH-A-Child sticker on the back, prompting adults to look up the organization and learn more.
“Our biggest challenge has been awareness,” Fuszard explained. “We started in South Central Wisconsin, but now our footprint stretches across the state. Our partnership with Overture has helped introduce more people to our mission.”
With an inventory of 80,000 books, REACH-A-Child has never purchased a single book in its 18-year history. Instead, they rely on donations from children’s book authors, distributors, Dane County schools, the Madison Reading Project and local rotary clubs. Each book goes through a careful review process before being distributed to children in need.
As REACH-A-Child continues to grow, community support plays a key role in sustaining its work.
“Our business model is about reaching out and raising money from the community so we can put those resources right back into the community,” said Fuszard.
Through partnering with Kids in the Rotunda, REACH-A-Child is not only providing free books to local families, but they’re also reinforcing the idea that stories have the power to comfort, connect and inspire.
Keep an eye out for the library cart and take a moment to explore the available books at the next Kids in the Rotunda performance on Saturday, March 15.