FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Dolly Parton Imaginations Library: Read SI
Contacts: Lori Longueville 618-924-0504 southernillinoiscoalition@gmail.com
Byram Fager: 618-997-3700 byram@sicf.org
Andrea Borum: andreaborum11@gmail.com
Read SI Seeking Sponsors and Donors as They Work to Launch the Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library and Promote Literacy for Little Learners in Southern Illinois
Carterville Illinois –: Read SI, a new regional partnership has been formed to help launch the Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, in Southern Illinois. Over 20 partner agencies and individuals are working together, hoping to launch this inspiring initiative by July 1, 2024. The program is designed to promote early childhood literacy and create opportunities for parents and children to enjoy reading together. This program is dedicated to gifting high-quality books free of charge to children from birth to age five. Once a child is enrolled in the program they will receive a book each month in the mail.
The Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, a flagship program of The Dollywood Foundation, has been the preeminent early childhood book-gifting program in the world since its inception in 1995. To date, nearly 200 million free books have been gifted across the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia, and The Republic of Ireland. The program mails more than 2 million high-quality, age-appropriate books each month to enrolled children, aiming to create a lifelong love of reading and inspire children to dream more, learn more, care more, and be more.
Partnership organizers include the Southern Illinois Community Foundation, the Southern Illinois Coalition for Children and Families and the Walker Borum Foundation. The counties served by this new affiliate include Alexander, Edwards, Franklin, Gallatin, Hamilton, Hardin, Jackson, Johnson, Massac, Perry, Pope, Pulaski, Randolph, Saline, Union, Wayne, White and Williamson. They will work in partnership with existing affiliates in Jefferson and Wabash counties
In December 2023, Governor Pritzker announced that the state would be supporting the expansion of the Dolly Parton Imagination Library statewide, providing financial support that reduces the amount local communities need to contribute to support this important initiative from $26.60 per year per child to $13.30 per year. “ The state of Illinois’ contribution is an important boost to our region’s ability to launch this important program. Now it is up to our communities, corporate sponsors and donors to help pick up the other half of the costs” said Lori Longueville of the Southern Illinois Coalition for Children and Families.
“Members of Read SI must raise $42,000 before the program can be launched and is currently seeking donations” reported Byram Fager, of the Southern Illinois Community Foundation. The Foundation is the affiliate’s fiscal agent and official affiliate sponsor. The program’s tentative launch date is July 2024. Sponsorship details can be found on the group’s webpage at https://www.sicf.org/readsi/ or by contacting one of the organizing partners.
Once launched families will be able to enroll their children. Read SI members will be partnering with others in the community to help families enroll in the program. Andrea Borum of the Walker Borum Foundation added,” Read SI I is proud to partner with Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library to bring this incredible resource to our community’s youngest readers. Together, we can help lay the foundation for a brighter, more literate future.”
For more information about Read SI or the Dolly Parton Imagination Library contact a representative of one of the three partnership organizers listed in this article.
