Award-winning singer, songwriter and actress Dolly Parton is known for her big voice, big hair and big — well, you know — but the woman who was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1999 has also long been recognized for her philanthropic largesse related to causes such as environmentalism, public health and childhood literacy.
This week, an announcement by United Way of Whatcom County brought the superstar’s generosity to our corner of the globe. Within 24 hours of announcing that Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library was now open to residents of Whatcom County, more than 725 local youth had been signed up to receive one age-appropriate book per month.
Open to all kids from birth to 5 years old, the free program mails the carefully selected children’s books directly to kids — in their names, and with the hope that receiving them will help foster a love of reading.
Although it’s taken a while for the Imagination Library to be offered in Whatcom County, the idea isn’t a new one. Parton started the nonprofit in 1995 as a tribute to her father, who never learned to read. Since founding the program in her home state of Tennessee, the project has expanded across the United States, and even into Canada, the United Kingdom and Australia.
To ensure the books that will be delivered are up to par, a Blue Ribbon Book Selection Committee comprised of childhood literacy experts reviews scores of potential titles for inclusion in the Imagination Library. The first book a child receives is always “The Little Engine That Could,” and when they turn 5 years old they get “Look Out Kindergarten, Here I Come!” In between, they’ll explore titles such as “Little Poems for Tiny Ears,” “I Hear a Pickle Just Like My Brother,” “Richard Scarry’s Busy Busy People,” “Luke Goes to Bat,” “Coat of Many Colors” and “First Day Critter Jitters.”
With United Way stepping up as the Imagination Library affiliate in Whatcom County — coinciding with a larger effort to expand the program throughout Washington state — they’ll be partnering with other local organizations to make the program a success. Although Parton’s Dollywood Foundation covers much of the expenses, a press release noted affiliates are responsible for funding the program at a cost of $25 per year, per child.
“We are thrilled to be able to bring Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library to Whatcom County kids and families,” United Way Community Impact Manager Patricia Boyce said. “We know kids love getting books in the mail, but we also know this program has been proven to promote literacy and school readiness. This is more critical than ever to help offset the learning slide we’re seeing as a result of COVID-19. This extremely low-barrier reading program will help promote pandemic literacy recovery throughout our community, and we are so excited to be able to help.”
To register for Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, or to find out how to support the program and/or sponsor a child, go to unitedwaywhatcom.org
