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Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library in Logan County
Thanks to generous supporters, the number of children participating in Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library in Logan County grew in 2023 from 207 in January to 696 in December. Over 8,543 books have been sent to Logan County preschoolers as of December 2023 since the program’s inception in 2020, helping them to grow their love of learning and books and improve their readiness for school. The letter below is from a local parent who shares her family’s experience with this program.
A Letter from a Logan County Preschool Parent, and participant in Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library: Thank you so much for providing such a wonderful reading program for our child and others in Logan County. We have been receiving these books for the past year, and they are truly a highlight for everyone in our family. Our daughter, (4 years old), gets so excited every time she sees a “Dolly” book in the mail. And if we happen to see Dolly Parton’s face anywhere else, she will now say “Hey, that’s the lady who sends me books!”, which is always funny! As a family, we read together nightly, and many of these books are now our most-read titles. My daughter says that she can’t choose just one favorite, but her top three are “The Little Engine That Could”, “There’s A Monster in My Book”, and “You Are
A Honeybee”. Not only does our daughter love them, but my husband and I also enjoy reading them. The storylines
are always wonderful, and they come with educational prompts to help parents walk through discussing the book, learning points, etc., which is very helpful.
Find out more about Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, which is sponsored by the United Way of Logan County,
at Dolly Parton Imagination Library | United Way of Logan County (uwlogancountyil.org) and view our list of the generous supporters of this program at Dolly Parton Imagination Library Supporters | United Way of Logan County (uwlogancountyil.org).
2-1-1 in Logan County
197 calls came in to the 2-1-1 line from Logan County in 2023, and 234 needs were identified with 319 referrals provided. The top four needs identified in our county last year by these calls were (1) Housing (34%), (2) Utilities (16%), (3) Transportation (8%) and Income and Employment (8%).
One example of such a call was shared from the 2-1-1 answering service: The caller had recently been diagnosed with a nerve disorder with an estimated recovery time of 4-6 months. Her job will hold her position for her for 12 weeks but without pay. She had been told by Unemployment that there was nothing they could do, and they suggested she call us. We were able to provide some resources for rent and utility assistance and scheduled a follow-up call to discuss additional possibilities for financial support. The caller expressed feeling overwhelmed, in part due to struggling with speech due to partial facial paralysis, but we were able to reassure her that we are always available for emotional support as well as for resource referrals.
Find out more about United Way 2-1-1 and see quarterly reports at https://uwlogancountyil.org/logan-county-2-1-1.
In addition, the United Way of Logan County partners with many of the agencies that provide services in our communities. In 2023, $77,000 was pledged and distributed to 14 non-profit programs to assist them in continuing their good work (see list of programs below). The work of these organizations impacts hundreds of youth, seniors and families in Logan County each year.
The following programs received the grants listed below from the United Way of Logan County in 2023
The following summarizes income and expenses for the United Way of Logan County in 2023
YOUR support matters! Because of the generous support provided to the United Way of Logan County by businesses and individuals, people in our community receive the help they need. Children have opportunities to live healthy lives. Seniors can remain active and in their own homes. Families can prosper and overcome tragedies. Together we are doing what no one person or organization can do alone. Thank you for making a difference through your donations.
Find a list of our generous 2022/2023 campaign donors at 2023 Campaign Donors | United Way of Logan County (uwlogancountyil.org).
Give safely online at Donations Welcome! | United Way of Logan County (uwlogancountyil.org),
United Way of Logan County
120 S. McLean, P.O. Box 684
Lincoln IL 62656
217-735-4499
https://www.uwlogancountyil.org
Current Board of Directors for 2024: President, Jaylee Swinford; Vice President and Campaign Chairperson, Lee Funke; Co-Chairperson, Jennifer Hunt; Treasurer, Stacy May; Secretary, Adrienne Uhlry; Immediate Past President, Brittney Peterson; Directors, Beau Anderson, Erin Burns, Sheila Nelson, Vicky Wachendorf; Administrative Director, Patti Schonauer