Reach-A-Child helps first responders connect and comfort children in crisis

OSHKOSH, WI—(WISS)— When first responders arrive at any scene, whether it be an accident, a criminal arrest, a house fire, or other traumatic event, the most vulnerable, and sometimes the most scared, individuals at that scene will be the children. Reach-A-Child is an organization dedicated to helping first responders connect with and comfort children in a crisis. 

Kate Mann, Reach-A-Child Executive Director, became aware of the organization through her other job, as an officer of the Oshkosh Police Department. 

“ We’ve been using this program for over 10 years now,” Mann said. “And it provides first responders with books that they can use to comfort and distract children who are in crisis situations.”

Helping First Responders Connect to Kids

Reach-A-Child, based in Madison, serves over 350 departments and first responder localities throughout Wisconsin. It donates bags filled with books to the departments. 

“ In these Reach Bags are a variety of books and drawstring bags that the responders will carry in the squad car, the fire trucks, and the ambulances. So, when they encounter a child in crisis, they have these valuable resources there and ready to use.”

But why does Reach-A-Child use books to help first responders connect to children in crisis?

 ”And this is a way that we can help to comfort them and also distract them, take their mind off of the crisis at hand. Versus, say, a stuffed animal, which can comfort in its own way. But, that doesn’t really distract from the crisis. But when we can get them engaged in a book that really helps to calm them down.”

When the crisis is over, the children get to keep the books read to them or used by the first responders to help calm them. The books in each Reach-A-Child bag are suitable for kids ages 2 to 12-years-old.

Reach-A-Child Stories

Officer Kate Mann

“I actually have a personal story of how I utilized it when I was on patrol. We responded to a really bad domestic disturbance in which we had to arrest both of the adults in the family for engaging in the physical disturbance. And we had three kids that were there. We were gonna be with them for a lengthy period of time until Juvenile Services arrived on scene. 

“It was over about an hour that we were there with them. And we were thinking what can we do to help comfort them and calm them? Because what they just witnessed before we even arrived on scene was very traumatic for them. So I recalled that we had these Reach-a-Child bags in our squad car. So I was able to go retrieve the bag and read through several of the different books. You could just see how the kids started to calm down and were distracted and comforted through the different stories that we were reading.”

Although she is no longer a patrol officer, Mann says she still uses the Reach-A-Child bags to connect with children in the community.

“Now in my current role, as the public affairs and public information officer (for the Oshkosh Police Department) I use them also at community outreach events. So I’m free to give the books out and interact with kids and families in that way as well.”

Officer Ben Enstrom

“I was dealing with a pretty complex incident involving a child (everyone is okay), who obviously had no idea who I was and was hesitant to open up to me. I was able to open up some dialogue with the child and gain some of their trust with the help of my children’s books provided by your organization! They were thrilled to pick out their own books…Thank you all for your support and commitment to helping children in need!!”

Officer Amelia Levitt of the Madison Police Department

“…I noticed the woman had her 11-year-old daughter with her. The daughter was very afraid, probably due to her mother’s behavior as well as the police coming to the scene. I was able to talk to the girl briefly, and then said I was going to be right back. The girl had begun crying from her fear. 

“I went and retrieved the Reach Bag from my squad. I selected a chapter book and provided the girl with one of the backpacks in the bag. I gave both of these to the girl, who stopped crying and began talking to me about the book as well as how well she was doing in school. The woman and her child had been living in a motel and had no personal belongings with them. When I told her she could keep both the book and the backpack, I could tell she was very grateful to have something which she could possess again. 

“As the girl was picked up by a family member, she showed off the backpack and book, proud to have something to bring along. The Reach-A-Child program is such a wonderful tool to have, especially in times of crisis for children!”

Who pays for Reach-A-Child Bags?

Mann said Reach-A-Child applies for grants and seeks sponsorships and other donations to cover the costs of supplying bags to first responder organizations, fully aware those departments do not have the funds for these important tools.

“ Speaking as a first responder, you know, our budgets are pretty tight and we don’t have extra money to spend for books to hand out to kids in crisis. So this is a wonderful tool that’s provided to first responders free of charge that they can use in a proactive way when they encounter kids in crisis.”

To donate to Reach-A-Child visit www.reachachild.org and click on the DONATE button. 

 ”We also love when people do book drives for us because that, again, provides those books directly to us so we can give the first responders.”

Mann said the organization aims to supply all of Wisconsin’s first responder departments with Reach-A-Child bags. 

“ Our goal is to get all of the first responder departments involved in our program. And I believe there are about 600 first responder groups in Wisconsin.”

First responders can begin the process of finding sponsors and getting Reach-A-Child bags by visiting the website here: https://www.reachachild.org/first-responders