Martha Molina Bernadett, M.D., MBA is the President and CEO of The Molina Foundation.

Dr. Martha was working with low-income patients in Southern California and recognized many were struggling with basic literacy skills – the very skills necessary to read directions on a medicine bottle; understand preventive care for families, like immunizations; and track developmental milestones for children in speech, motor skills, and more. She recognized how the struggle with literacy was impacting the health of families and wanted to help. Dr. Martha and her husband started The Molina Foundation in 2004 with a mission to reduce disparities in access to education and health.

For 20 years, our Book Buddies program has been encouraging children to read for pleasure – and providing them with new books to do so. Recognizing that many low-income children are growing up without books in their homes, through Book Buddies we have given away more than 11 million new children’s books through a network of 3,000 partners throughout the United States. We give away hundreds of thousands of books each year.

Through our national network of community partners, we are acutely aware of gaps in the availability of resources for families, beyond just books. To fill those gaps and to address post-Covid-19 learning losses, through our On My Way and WordUp programs we curate and create content that is fun, easy-to-read, and addresses the shortage of resources in at-risk communities. We reach thousands of children and families each year with fun ideas, activities, and tips to reinforce basic health and literacy skills.