United Way of South Central Indiana recently hosted a storytime event for children at the Bloomfield Eastern Greene Public Library to celebrate the launch of Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library in Greene County.

Each child registered with the Imagination Library will receive a free, new age-appropriate book mailed directly to their home each month, until their fifth birthday.

The event, held December 11, brought local children and families together to enjoy the fun of reading. Highlights included interactive storytime, a book giveaway, photo-ops with a life-sized Dolly cut-out, and the opportunity for families to enroll in The Imagination Library program. A launch event in Linton will be held in the coming months.

Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library launched in Greene County in August and has already enrolled 550 children, mailing over 2,000 books directly to their homes. This renowned early literacy program aims to spark a lifelong love of reading and learning while equipping children with the tools they need to succeed. By providing access to high-quality books regardless of family income, the initiative is making a meaningful difference in the lives of local families.

In Greene County, initial funding for the program was provided by the Greene County Foundation. Representatives from the Foundation were at the event and expressed their appreciation for the initiative.

Suzanne Jackson, Executive Director of the Greene County Foundation, shared, "We're thrilled to be a partner in bringing the gift of reading to the children of Greene County. With The Imagination Library, we're investing in our future, one book at a time."

A parent or guardian can register their children online at www.unitedwaysci.org/dolly to receive books. This program is available to children ages birth through their fifth birthday. Children will receive their first book approximately 8-12 weeks after enrollment.

Community members and businesses who would like to sponsor books for children in the program may do so at www.unitedwaysci.org/dolly.

The program encourages caregivers to read with their children, strengthening bonds and giving kids a boost toward a successful education. Research shows a child’s ability to read by the end of third grade is an important predictor of future success. Children who reach this critical milestone are more likely to graduate high school and have higher earnings as adults.

United Way of South Central Indiana supports and creates community-driven solutions to help local families move from poverty to possibility. As part of this mission, United Way hosts Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library in Greene, Lawrence, Owen, and Orange counties, while the program is offered in Monroe County through Monroe Smart Start.

This program, inspired by the vision of country music icon Dolly Parton, has reached millions of children worldwide and made a lasting impact on early childhood literacy. Dolly Parton was inspired to start her Imagination Library in 1995, due to her own father’s inability to read and write.

About United Way of South Central Indiana: United Way of South Central Indiana is a nonprofit organization that improves the lives and futures of all people in the community. We bring together expertise, funding, and volunteer support to positively impact the resilience of our community, and those who live within it. In partnership with others, we work to eliminate inequities experienced by low-income and diverse populations so that all people have a safe, healthy home environment, achieve their educational potential, and increase their financial stability. We commit to building bridges across cultural, racial, religious, and economic boundaries More information is available at www.unitedwaysci.org.

About the Greene County Foundation: The Greene County Foundation exists for charitable individuals to leave a lasting legacy to the community they love. Through the establishment of endowments, donors can forever support the local causes important to them. The Greene County Foundation has had a charitable impact in every school, library, and community in Greene County. The Foundation annually awards over a quarter-million dollars in grants through fund payouts, competitive grants, and student scholarships. For more information, visit greenecountyfoundation.org or call (812) 659-3142.

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 250 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 Community and [State/Provincial/National] Partners. The Imagination Library mails more than 3 million high-quality, age-appropriate books directly to children’s homes each month. Each child enrolled in the program receives one book per month from birth to age five - at no cost to families. Dolly envisioned creating a lifelong love of reading and inspiring children to Dream More, Learn More, Care More and Be More.

The program’s impact has been widely researched, and results demonstrate its positive impact on early childhood development and literacy skills. Penguin Random House is the exclusive publisher of Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library. For more information, please visit imaginationlibrary.com.