Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library Receives Woods Foundation Grant
The Woods Foundation has granted $15,000 to support Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library in Logan County. This gift is made possible through the generosity of Robert J. Woods and Joan Jarrett Woods through the creation of The Woods Foundation.
Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library is a program that mails free books each month to registered children from birth to age five in participating communities within the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and Republic of Ireland. As of November 2022 over 195,000,000 books had been distributed through this program and over 2,200,000 children were registered for the program.
Thanks to generous grants like this, and the support of local businesses and individuals, the library is available throughout Logan County and 432 children are currently participating (as of February 28). The number is growing daily. 3,142 books have been sent to children’s homes since the program’s inception in July 2020.
Inspired by her father’s inability to read and write, Dolly started her Imagination Library in 1995 for the children within her home county, and it has grown since then. The purpose of this program is to provide books in the home to encourage a love of books, reading and learning and positively affect school readiness. According to the National Commission on Reading, “The single most significant factor influencing a child’s early educational success is an introduction to books and being read to at home prior to beginning school.” When books are in the home, children and parents are more likely to pick them up and read together.
Parents that would like to register their preschoolers (birth up to age 5) that live in Logan County may register them online at www.imaginationlibrary.com or contact the United Way of Logan County at 217-735-4499 or uwloganil@comcast.net. If you do not live in Logan County, you can still check availability in your area at the web site listed above.
The United Way of Logan County sponsors and administers this program in Logan County, and is grateful for support like this generous grant which allows growth and continuation of the program for our youth. Find out more about the program at www.uwlogancountyil.org