The Story of With Wings and a Halo - R.E.A.C.H. a Child! Indiana

At With Wings and a Halo - R.E.A.C.H. a Child! (Reading Enjoyment Affects Childhood Happiness), our mission is to put a smile on the face of a child in a time of need. Additionally, our goals are to: (1) provide an escape to children in a traumatic situation (2) promote literacy, while instilling a love of reading in children (3) prevent crime by improving relationships between police and the public, and (4) keep perfectly good – and new – books out of landfills.

Named the largest and fastest growing crime prevention program in the Midwest, With Wings and a Halo – R.E.A.C.H. a Child! Indiana provides law enforcement and other first responders, as well as social workers, with a backpack containing 10-12 new children’s books they can then distribute to children at the scene of a crisis or emergency such as an auto accident, house fire, domestic dispute or natural disaster.

Founded in Waunakee, WI in late 2007 by Paul and Chris Gilbertson, With Wings and a Halo – R.E.A.C.H a Child! was almost immediately adopted by various Wisconsin state, county and city services. In fact, for many police units in Wisconsin, when an officer graduates from the police academy, he or she is issued four items – a badge, handcuffs, a gun and one of our backpacks containing the new books.

Thanks to generous donations from people just like you, With Wings and a Halo – R.E.A.C.H. a Child! has expanded across the country, and is helping children in California, Nebraska, Missouri, Iowa, Minnesota, Illinois, Michigan, Tennessee, Ohio, New York and, of course, right here in Indiana.

Thanks so much for considering lending your support to With Wings and a Halo – R.E.A.C.H. a Child! Indiana.