KEY TAKEAWAYS: NOEH installs first-of-its-kind book vending machine in Emergency Department. Partnership with The Center for Literacy Learning aims to address “book deserts.” Ribbon-cutting ceremony scheduled for Jan. 16 with hospital and nonprofit leaders. Program marks the first hospita l-based vending machine in New Orleans and second statewide.   New Orleans East Hospital is partnering with The Center for Literacy Learning to introduce a first-of-its-kind book vending machine in the hospital’s Emergency Department, aiming to promote literacy and address “book deserts” for children in the community. The machine will allow children to select a free book following their medical care. The initiative will be officially unveiled with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Friday, Jan. 16, at 11 a.m. on the hospital’s fifth floor at 5620 Read Blvd. Remarks will be delivered by NOEH President and CEO Dr. Takeisha Davis, Emergency Department Director Ashley Robinson, The Center for Literacy Learning CEO Dr. John Wyble, and Louisiana Statewide Family Engagement Center Director Sabrina Marsh. NOEH officials said the program is the first of its kind in New Orleans and only the second in the state, as well as the first to be installed inside a full-service hospital. The hospital and nonprofit partners hope the vending machine will improve literacy access and encourage children to develop reading habits outside of school. The Center for Literacy Learning, a Louisiana-based nonprofit, has provided literacy support and educator training nationwide for more than 30 years, focusing on closing the achievement gap and supporting students’ individual learning needs. Since opening in 2015, NOEH has positioned itself as a community hub, offering programs and resources beyond traditional health care. Hospital representatives said the partnership demonstrates how collaborations between LCMC Health, the parent organization of NOEH, and community organizations can have positive impacts on students, families, and the broader New Orleans East community. New Orleans East Hospital is part of LCMC Health, an eight-hospital system serving the Gulf Coast region, and continues to emphasize both healthcare delivery and community development. ...read more read less