Ask Daryl, the Volunteer Librarian at Family ACCESS, to tell you a story, and you will get as many as you could possibly want.
“We have so many wonderful children’s books. It’s unique for an Early Learning Center like this to have such a large library,” she notes.
During National Reading Month, we asked Daryl, who served for 24 years as the coordinator of children’s books for the Cambridge Public Library, about the importance of reading to your kids at home. She pointed to numerous studies that show reading is essential for preschoolers. Those include a 2019 study at Ohio State University that found young children whose parents read them five books a day enter kindergarten having heard 1.4 million more words than those who were never read to. Also, a 20-year research project at the University of Nevada found that having books in the home (as few as 20 age-appropriate books) increased the level of education a child in that home reached.
“It’s vital. It really makes a difference in how they do in school,” says Daryl. She offers these tips to help engage your toddler or preschooler in reading.
Have a Routine: For some families, it’s a story before bedtime. For others, it might be when dinner is cooking. Make reading a scheduled part of the day.
Have Books at the Ready: It’s important, Daryl says, to have age-appropriate books around the house, at their level, so your child can pick them up on their own. They may look through it themselves or ask for a family member to read it to them.
Help Them Participate: Even if you do all the reading, children love to take part. They often will want to turn the pages themselves or point out an illustration that excites them.
“Reading together can add a lot to your relationship with your child because you are sharing the experience of that story with them,” explains Daryl. “From that point on, if you see something that reminds you of the book, you’ll both be able to say, ‘that’s just like in the story!’”
When Lisa Bennett reads to preschoolers, she is instilling a skillset that helps children be more successful in their educational efforts and in life.
“Reading should feel like a shared experience,” notes Lisa Bennett, a Play Group Facilitator with Family ACCESS Community Connections. “When I read, I like to slow down and really invite children into the story. I pause to ask what they notice in the picture and what the characters might do next. They stay more engaged and build confidence in their ideas.”
Dialogic Reading, or asking good questions, is the basis of a nationwide program called Raising A Reader, an evidence based early literacy program with an end goal to help families develop, practice and maintain routines of shared reading at home.
“In addition to our Newton Early Learning Center, Family ACCESS offers several community-based programs that help build literacy rich homes throughout the ten communities we serve,” notes Jodi Levin, MSW, M.Ed, Coordinated Family and Community Engagement (CFCE) Program Coordinator. “Along with giving hundreds of books to families throughout the year, our facilitators continuously model strategies to help parents and caregivers engage children in conversation around books.”
Raising A Reader provides a rotating library of high-quality children’s literature that families can bring home each week, encouraging children and parents to develop the habit of shared reading. It is integrated into our CFCE program Community Connections, which is an EEC funded grant program at Family ACCESS, that offers parent education programs, parent/child playgroups, literacy programs and referrals to community resources. Also part of Family ACCESS, the ParentChild+ program, is an intensive home visiting service providing structured, in-home support for low to moderate income families of young children to help build strong foundations for learning and school readiness.
“During home visits, we gift families with a new book or toy each week and model for parents how to engage their child with those materials,” explains Jodi. “The idea is to help parents feel comfortable and confident as their child’s first and best teacher.”
In the classrooms at Family ACCESS, children are invited to engage with the facilitator to be part of the story telling. Lisa asks lots of questions as she reads to pull the kids in. Using dialogic reading strategies allows adults and children to have conversations about a book, turning reading into an interactive dialogue where the child leads, promoting vocabulary and language skills.
“It also helps strengthen comprehension,” adds Lisa. “Most importantly, it helps children see books as something fun and interactive rather than something they just sit and listen to.”
Once upon a time, Daryl was a children’s librarian at the Cambridge Public Library. As Coordinator of Children’s Services, she worked with the children’s librarians at seven locations, planned system wide programs like summer reading club, offered story times to local families, talked with parents about the importance of literacy, and invited authors to visit. After 24 years, she closed that chapter of her career and retired. Until recently.
“A friend at my church told me that Family ACCESS had assembled this incredible library and was looking for some help organizing things,” explains Daryl, who was eventually asked to visit. “I am so impressed by the teachers and the volunteers who put together this beautiful resource.”
Daryl now serves as Volunteer Librarian, coming into the Early Learning Center three times per month to get the students excited about reading. Many of the books were donated and some were the result of grants, she says.
“The children really enjoy it. I mean, who doesn’t like a good story?” notes Daryl.
During her first session with the classes, she started with a simple question.
“What is a library?” she asked.
“A place where there are books,” the children enthusiastically answered.
“And what is in a book?” Daryl probed.
“Words and pictures,” responded the class.
“Words and pictures make up stories, and there are a lot of wonderful stories in our library for you to enjoy,” Daryl explained.
Daryl includes rhymes and movement to “get students engaged.” When she reads a story, she often asks questions along the way.
“I’ll ask things like, ‘what do you see?’ or ‘what animal is this?’ to help them feel involved in the process,” Daryl says.
The books are available for Family ACCESS parents and students to take home and return – no typical library check-out procedure necessary. Daryl says she has enjoyed meeting the staff and families at the school and couldn’t be happier to be back sharing favorite children’s stories with these young learners.
“Books really open up the imagination and that’s fun to witness,” she says.
Roughly 31 percent of Americans say they have planned to make a change for the better in 2026. But most New Year’s resolutions target the individual. Few of us think to set a goal for our entire family.
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, January is a great time to sit down with your kids and pick one or two healthy goals that the entire family can work toward. For a family with preschoolers, it might mean trying hard to pick up the living room before bedtime (shoes, briefcases, toys). Or that you will all strive to use words like “please” and “thank you.”
“At our house, it’s about finding small moments to infuse joy,” says Ariella Slovin, MD, a pediatrician, mother of a four-year-old and 18-month-old and member of the Family ACCESS Parent Advisory Committee. “We’re going to add music to our morning routine, to help everyone wake up and get moving.”
Another idea – a nightly bedtime story.
“Studies have shown that children who get a nightly story create a foundation for literacy, improve comprehension, and broaden vocabulary,” notes Sara Gorgone, a teacher at Family ACCESS. “Research also shows links to higher verbal scores, better math achievement and stronger social-emotional skills, crucial for academic readiness.”
Ideas from other Family ACCESS parents include getting outside more as a family. Walking through the woods, getting some fresh air and talking about what you can see and hear. This works in the winter as well as the warmer times of year.
Another Family ACCESS parent, Sarah Nalven, says her family’s New Year’s resolutions include volunteering.
“Things like stocking shelves at the food pantry, picking up trash for Earth Day, organizing donation drives at Family ACCESS, and finding other opportunities to make the world a little bit better and easier for those who are less fortunate,” explains Sarah.
When parents model this kind of behavior with their children, they are developing habits that can last a lifetime.
Family ACCESS of Newton Welcomes Maisie Pollard as New Executive Director
Family ACCESS of Newton, a nonprofit organization dedicated to strengthening families through early childhood education and family support programs, is pleased to announce the appointment of Maisie Pollard as its new Executive Director.
Maisie brings over 25 years of leadership experience and a strong record of advancing health, education, and community-based initiatives. Her career has been defined by her dedication to equity, access, and opportunity for families, particularly those in under-resourced communities. Prior to joining Family ACCESS, she served as Chief Administrative Officer for the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, where she led strategic growth initiatives, expanded maternal and family health programs, and oversaw complex operations across clinical, academic, and research settings.
At Family ACCESS, Maisie will lead the organization into its next chapter of growth and impact, overseeing programs that nurture early childhood development, literacy, and family well-being. “I am deeply honored to join Family ACCESS,” said Maisie. “This organization plays a critical role in ensuring every child and family has access to high-quality early learning and educational opportunities for a strong start in life. I’m inspired by our team, our history, and the communities we serve—and I look forward to building on this legacy together.”
A History of Helping Families
Over its 118-year history, Family ACCESS has supported thousands of children and families from diverse backgrounds across Greater Boston. The organization offers a range of services, including its nationally accredited Early Learning Center, the ParentChild+ program, Raising a Reader literacy initiative, counseling and parent support programs, and a community food closet that provides essential resources for families.
Jim Rapoport, Chair of the Family ACCESS Board of Directors, shared, “Maisie was the clear choice to lead Family ACCESS into the future. Her leadership, strategic vision, and deep commitment to serving families will continue to strengthen our mission of supporting children and parents across our community.”
Maisie’s appointment marks a new chapter in Family ACCESS’s ongoing mission to ensure that every child—regardless of background—has the foundation to learn, grow, and thrive.
About Family ACCESS of Newton
For over 118 years, Family ACCESS of Newton has supported families through early childhood education, literacy programs, counseling, and community partnerships. The organization’s mission is to ensure that every child—regardless of background—has access to quality early learning experiences and that every parent feels supported in helping their child reach their fullest potential.
At Family ACCESS, the dedication of our staff is the heart of our mission. Today, we spotlight Jean Marie Landry, the ParentChild+ Coordinator, whose passion for empowering families and fostering community connection exemplifies the spirit of our organization.
Jean Marie’s role is multifaceted, encompassing everything from data management and staff training to family enrollment, community outreach, and developmental coaching. But at its core, her work is driven by a deep commitment to the ParentChild+ program’s mission: to ensure that all children, regardless of their background, have equal possibilities.
“The ParentChild+ mission is to ensure that all children regardless of their race, socioeconomic status, or zip code, have equal possibilities from the start,” Jean Marie explains. The program works directly with children, families, and caregivers to support early literacy, school readiness, and parent advocacy.
A key element of ParentChild+ is the relationship built between Early Learning Specialists and the families they serve. Jean Marie emphasizes the importance of empowerment in this process: “It’s very important that we’re not going into a caregiver’s home to tell them what to do or to do things for them. Instead we are providing the family with new skills so they can have the confidence to understand their individual child’s development.
The ParentChild+ program creates strong bonds that empower families to be an active participant throughout their child’s educational journey.” The program’s structure, with its focus on home visits and review sessions, creates a supportive environment for growth. Jean Marie describes the beauty of the review visits, where parents can showcase their skills and abilities: “It’s always a beautiful moment because that’s where the relationship begins between the Early Learning Specialist and the parent. So much of the work is about supporting the mom or caregiver.”
Jean Marie’s dedication to families is evident in her daily work. She manages data, community outreach, and enrollments, trains staff, and provides developmental coaching. The most rewarding part of her job? Seeing parents ready to graduate from the program. She shares the story of a mother who expressed her gratitude for the program’s impact: “A recent PC+ graduate didn’t expect that this program would advance her knowledge in early childhood development which helped her engage more with her son… So this mother discovered how to have a strong parent-child connection with her toddler, and now makes time to read to him every day.”
The ParentChild+ program also plays a vital role in connecting families with essential resources. Jean Marie explains the program’s collaborative approach: “We make sure to provide weekly flyers with information about local resources to the Early Learning Specialists to share with their families. So far, we have helped people with issues relating to immigration, food insecurities, diapers, continuing education, MassHealth, Early Intervention, childcare subsidies, counseling, and housing.”
Looking to the future, Jean Marie dreams of expanding the program’s reach: “I hope we can service 50 children every year. That would be my goal to help as many families as possible.”
Jean Marie’s passion for her work and commitment to empowering families shine through in her words. As she aptly puts it, “I really enjoy working in this program because I love serving my community, and helping others come so naturally to me. We are invited into parents’ homes to support and encourage them to achieve their goals.”
We are proud to have Jean Marie Landry as part of the Family ACCESS team, working tirelessly to create a brighter future for children and families.
To ensure we identify the best possible Executive Director, we have engaged Lindauer, a premier retained search firm for non-profits, with deep Boston roots and experience.
Since its founding over 25 years ago, Lindauer has helped a wide variety of non-profit organizations, similar to Family ACCESS, identify, evaluate, and ultimately hire Executive Directors as well as other senior leadership positions.
Their process typically takes 4–6 months and we will keep you updated on our progress.
We will continue to work with our outstanding leadership team and staff as they continue to provide exceptional services to our children and families.
Gabriela Santiago: From Parent to Early Literacy Champion
Gabriela Santiago’s journey with Family ACCESS began as a participant, seeking support for her young children. As a busy working mother, Gabriela faced the challenges of balancing work and family life while also nurturing her children’s early learning.
Through the ParentChild+ (PC+) program, Gabriela discovered a wealth of resources and a supportive community. “As a mother, it helped me enrich my knowledge,” she shares, “and thanks to PC+ I was able to provide my children with an early learning education.” The program’s home visits, filled with affection and respect, equipped Gabriela with the tools and strategies she needed to become her children’s first and most important teacher.
Witnessing her own children’s growth and development through the PC+ program inspired Gabriela to give back. She joined the Family ACCESS team as a ParentChild+ Specialist, sharing her knowledge and experience with other families. “I was motivated by knowing that I could help other parents in the early learning process,” she explains.
Gabriela’s impact extends far beyond her own family. Last year, a mother in her community was on the verge of losing financial aid for childcare because she couldn’t transport her child to the only available space – at Family ACCESS. Drawing on her own experiences and the knowledge she gained from the program, Gabriela stepped in to help. She guided the mother through the process, advocating for her needs and ultimately securing a spot for her child on the waiting list.
Gabriela’s support didn’t stop there. She went on to help the mother navigate the school system to get her son an evaluation for additional support. “She is super happy with this,” Gabriela shares, “because for her this process was very difficult and overwhelming.”
Today, Gabriela finds deep satisfaction in guiding families on their literacy journeys. “The success story I have is the satisfaction of seeing most of my families graduate from the PC+ program,” she says with pride. Her story is a testament to the transformative power of Family ACCESS, where families not only receive support but also become empowered to support others.
Thank you, Gabriela, for sharing your inspiring journey and for your dedication to helping other families thrive!
Gabriela Santiago: De madre a campeona de la alfabetización temprana
El camino de Gabriela Santiago con Family ACCESS comenzó como participante, buscando apoyo para sus hijos pequeños. Como madre trabajadora ocupada, Gabriela enfrentó el desafío familiar de equilibrar el trabajo y la vida familiar, mientras también nutría el aprendizaje temprano de sus hijos.
A través del programa ParentChild+ (PC+), Gabriela descubrió una gran cantidad de recursos y una comunidad de apoyo. “Como madre, me ayudó a enriquecer mis conocimientos”, comparte, “y gracias a PC+ pude brindarles a mis hijos una educación de aprendizaje temprano”. Las visitas domiciliarias del programa, llenas de afecto y respeto, equiparon a Gabriela con las herramientas y estrategias que necesitaba para convertirse en la primera y más importante maestra de sus hijos.
Ser testigo del crecimiento y desarrollo de sus propios hijos a través del programa PC+ inspiró a Gabriela a retribuir. Se unió al equipo de Family ACCESS como especialista en ParentChild+, compartiendo sus conocimientos y experiencia con otras familias. “Me motivó saber que podía ayudar a otros padres en el proceso de aprendizaje temprano”, explica.
El impacto de Gabriela se extiende mucho más allá de su propia familia. El año pasado, una madre de su comunidad estuvo a punto de perder la ayuda financiera para el cuidado infantil porque no podía transportar a su hijo al único espacio disponible, en Family ACCESS. Basándose en sus propias experiencias y el conocimiento que obtuvo del programa, Gabriela intervino para ayudar. Guio a la madre a través del proceso, abogando por sus necesidades y finalmente asegurando un lugar para su hijo en la lista de espera.
El apoyo de Gabriela no se detuvo ahí. Continuó ayudando a la madre a navegar por el sistema escolar para que su hijo fuera evaluado para obtener apoyo adicional. “Ella está súper feliz con esto”, comparte Gabriela, “porque para ella este proceso fue muy difícil y abrumador”.
Hoy, Gabriela encuentra una profunda satisfacción en guiar a las familias en sus caminos hacia la alfabetización. “La historia de éxito que tengo es la satisfacción de ver a la mayoría de mis familias graduarse del programa PC+”, dice con orgullo. Su historia es un testimonio del poder transformador de Family ACCESS, donde las familias no solo reciben apoyo, sino que también se empoderan para apoyar a otros.
¡Gracias, Gabriela, por compartir tu inspiradora trayectoria y por tu dedicación para ayudar a otras familias a prosperar!
Barbara Neufeld wasn’t ready to slow down after retiring from a fulfilling career in urban education research and teaching. Driven by a passion to make a difference, she sought out new opportunities to stay engaged and contribute her expertise. She found that opportunity with the Early Literacy Services ParentChild+ program, where she has volunteered for the past 9 years.
A New Challenge
“I needed to do something useful, and the early literacy focus of the program really appealed to me,” Barbara explains. “I had experience in education, but not at the preschool level, so it was a new challenge that I was excited to take on.”
More Than Just Home Visits
Barbara has embraced that challenge wholeheartedly, visiting families in their homes twice a week to model reading, play, and learning activities that support their children’s early development. But her role has expanded far beyond the home visits.
Witnessing the Growth
“What’s fulfilling about the work with families in their home is, that it is as much learning from them and learning what they need and learning what they already can do,” she shared. But Barbara’s commitment goes beyond simply modeling literacy activities; she truly invests in the families she works with, becoming a trusted source of support and guidance. She has been able to help families in a myriad of ways, whether it’s advocating to get a child enrolled in school, providing guidance on navigating the complexities of the education system, or even helping a parent with her college coursework. Barbara exemplifies the dedication and compassion that make our volunteers so invaluable.
It’s this mutual learning and growth that Barbara finds so rewarding. “It’s incredibly fulfilling to see the progress the children make. I’m learning how to support people, and they’re learning new skills, helping their children get ready for school,” she says.
A Moment of Breakthrough
One particularly rewarding moment came when Barbara was working with a little boy who had been largely nonverbal. “He hardly spoke at all when I first started visiting,” Barbara recalls. “But one day, I brought some pictures of a leopard because he loved animals, and at the end of the visit, I asked if he would like to keep them. He looked at me and said, ‘Yes, I would like to.’ It was such a small step, but actually a really big step. That is incredibly rewarding.”
Giving Back in Many Ways
Barbara’s passion for the program’s mission has also led her to become a donor. “I donate both my time and financial resources because I believe so strongly in the work the organization is doing,” she explains. “The program has a profound impact, not just on the children, but on the whole family.”
Inspiring the Next Generation of Volunteers
As a retired adult volunteer, Barbara recognizes the importance of recruiting younger participants to carry on the program’s impact. “I find it so rewarding in that you are doing meaningful work and you can see the result. You see a little kid and a family member become more interested in a book or doing arts and crafts,” she says. “I hope more people, especially those with an education background, will consider joining us.”
With her wealth of experience, warm personality, and deep commitment to the families she serves, Barbara exemplifies the power of volunteering. Her story is a testament to the transformative impact that can occur when compassionate individuals like Barbara dedicate themselves to supporting early learning and strengthening communities.
Thank you, Barbara, for your incredible commitment to Family ACCESS!
Interested in becoming a volunteer like Barbara? Visit our website or contact us to learn more about volunteer opportunities with Family ACCESS.
