OLYMPIA, Wash. (KOMO) — Hello Dolly! Iconic musician and philanthropist Dolly Parton is coming to Washington state Tuesday to celebrate her Imagination Library achieving statewide coverage.
All Washington state children under the age of 5 can now register to receive a free monthly book from Dolly's organization.
Dolly Parton's Imagination Library of Washington was established in June 2022 through legislation. The program provides a free age-appropriate book each month in the mail to enrolled children from birth to age 5.
Currently, more than 65,000 children are enrolled in Washington state, and more than 1.6 million books have been gifted to children across the state.
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Aug. 15 will also be signified by a proclamation from Gov. Jay Inslee and Lt. Gov. Denny Heck as “Imagination Library of Washington Day.”
The event will begin at 2:30 p.m. and is invite-only. However, it will be broadcasted and streamed live on TVWand available to view on both Imagination Library of Washington and TVW social media channels.
“We welcome the great Dolly Parton to celebrate our statewide program and promote registration for our youngest learners into the Imagination Library," said Inslee. "It is important to get high-quality books to children from a young age and ensure that their families, and their unique races, ethnicities, and identities are well-represented among the selection of books.”
While growing up, Dolly's father was illiterate. This inspired her to start Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library in 1995 for the children within her home county of Sevier County, Tennessee.
Today, her program spans five countries and gifts more than 2.4 million free books each month to children around the world. In March of 2023, the program surpassed 200 million books gifted to children worldwide.
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The celebratory event will feature a fireside chat, a small performance, and recognition of those who are making Dolly’s dream possible for Washington’s earliest learners. Dolly envisioned creating a lifelong love of reading, inspiring children to dream more, learn more, care more, and be more.
This is such a magnificent moment and achievement!" said Brooke Fisher-Clark, executive director of Imagination Library of Washington. "Now we take a moment to celebrate and continue igniting support and enthusiasm around this for our future generations.The legislation to support the Imagination Library of Washington was sponsored through a partnership with the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) and the Department of Children, Youth, & Families (DCYF). It was administered by United Ways of the Pacific Northwest (UWPNW).
"It's been an honor to support the expansion of early literacy across Washington," said State Superintendent Chris Reykdal. "By providing free books to our youngest learners, the Imagination Library is breaking down barriers to skills that will support Washington children for a lifetime."
The OSPI is the primary agency that oversees public K–12 education in Washington state and allocates funding and provides tools, resources, and technical assistance.
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UWPNW is the regional trade association for 34 local United Ways in Washington, Oregon, and Idaho. The association says they are committed to improving lives by mobilizing the caring power of communities to advance the common good in the areas of education, income, and health.
“Books develop literacy habits, strengthen ties between adults and children, and help children overcome intergenerational poverty,” said DCYF Secretary Ross Hunter. The DCYF is a cabinet-level agency focused on the well-being of children.
Every Washington family with children under the age of 5 is eligible to sign up for the Imagination Library.
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