United Way Rock River Valley celebrates a major early-literacy milestone for local families in Winnebago County
WINNEBAGO COUNTY, IL — Dolly Parton's Imagination Library has reached a significant milestone in Winnebago County: 5,000 children have now graduated from the program (5,092 to be exact), each having received a free, high-quality book in the mail every month from birth through age five.
The local program is funded by United Way Rock River Valley, ensuring that every dollar raised stays in the community and goes directly toward putting books into the hands of Winnebago County kids. Since a child's earliest years are critical for brain development and building a foundation for reading, this milestone represents thousands of family reading moments and a stronger start to school for the county's youngest learners.
"Every book mailed is an investment in a child's future," said Dan Berman, Youth Opportunity Manager for United Way Rock River Valley. "Reaching 5,000 graduates means 5,000 families who built a reading habit together and that's something the whole community can be proud of."
Children enrolled in the Imagination Library receive a specially selected, age-appropriate book each month at no cost to their family, from the day they're registered until their fifth birthday. Registration is open to all children in Winnebago County regardless of family income.
As kids age out of the program, we encourage parents and caregivers to donate their books back to United Way. We'll make sure they find a new home with kids who'll love them just as much.
Register your child at www.unitedwayrrv.org/register-imagination-library, or consider making a donation to help fund future graduates.
About Dolly Parton's Imagination Library
Since launching in 1995, Dolly Parton's Imagination Library has become the preeminent early childhood book gifting program in the world. The flagship program of The Dollywood Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, has gifted over 200 million free books in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia, and The Republic of Ireland. This is achieved through funding shared by The Dollywood Foundation and Local Program Partners. The Imagination Library mails more than 3 million high-quality, age-appropriate books each month to enrolled children from birth to age five. Dolly envisioned creating a lifelong love of reading and inspiring children to Dream More, Learn More, Care More, Be More™.
For more information, visit imaginationlibrary.com.