Following the passing of the legendary Dolly Parton, her Imagination Library program has witnessed a surge in interest. This initiative, established in 1995, has distributed hundreds of thousands of books to children, drawing global attention to Parton’s enduring literary contributions.
Angela Bassani, President and CEO of the United Way of Lackawanna, Wayne, and Pike County, oversees the local partnership with the Imagination Library. This program supplies children with new books monthly from birth until age five.
“Right now … 2,800 children in Lackawanna County are able to receive those books every single month through the funding that we have locally,” Bassani explained. “We have an amazing group of volunteers who this is their passion project, and they do so much hard work.”
Despite the lack of state funding in Pennsylvania, local nonprofit partners provide financial support. The United Way pays $30 annually per child for the books, with the national Imagination Library covering additional costs and shipping.
“You know, when you do the math and you think that 2,800 children are receiving those books every single year, it adds up to $84,000 a year,” Bassani noted, highlighting the program’s financial demands. The program currently has a waiting list of about 500 children seeking donors to facilitate their enrollment.
Bassani emphasized, “We’re trying to spread the awareness that it is a partnership, and funds locally are really what make this happen locally. Not every county has a Dolly Parton Imagination Library, so we’re lucky that we are able to have one here.”
‘My son looks for the books every month’
Laura Frank, brand and content coordinator for the United Way, shared the impact of the Imagination Library on her family. Her children eagerly anticipate the monthly arrival of new books addressed to them.
“It’s honestly been such an amazing experience,” Frank said. “My son looks for the books every month now, and it’s just a nice little treat to come home to.”
“There’s one called ‘Ice Cream Face,’ and there is another one … there’s a new one that just came out that’s called ‘Forts.’ We’ve literally just got it this month, and he loves it,” she said. “My daughter is almost two years old, and she just got a book as well called ‘Birding for Babies,’ and it was just so cute and so unique, something that I wouldn’t have thought to get myself.”
Bassani encourages further support for the local Imagination Library in memory of Parton, noting that her family has requested fans to contribute to the cause.
“Dolly created the program because her father couldn’t read, and she felt he would have went much further in life if he could have read,” Bassani explained. “So, she believes that getting books in the hands of children really gives them a pathway forward, and we believe the exact same thing.”
Donations to the Dolly Parton Imagination Library in Lackawanna County can be made through the United Way of Lackawanna, Wayne & Pike’s website.
Sarah Hofius Hall
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WVIA News
That’s all for this edition of Bookmarks! Join us again on Sept. 19 for more bookish tales.
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