Sharon Polfus from United Way of Southwest Michigan joins us to talk about the importance of literacy in Southwest Michigan and how you can make an immediate local impact with a great program called “Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library!” Find out more at uwsm.org.
March is National Reading Month, and United Way of Southwest Michigan is encouraging the community to rally around early childhood literacy by sponsoring children to participate in Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library.
Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library (DPIL) serves children from birth through age 5 to help them develop early literacy skills, foster a love of reading, and be prepared to enter kindergarten. Children enrolled in DPIL receive a specially selected age-appropriate book mailed to their home each month until their 5th birthday. This program not only affects kindergarten readiness, but it also makes a big impact on third grade reading proficiency.
DPIL is provided free of charge to all children under the age of 5 and their families, regardless of income. However, the cost for United Way to provide this program is $25 per child per year. Currently, more than 7,000 children are enrolled in DPIL in Berrien, Cass, and Van Buren Counties.
Our goal for this March campaign is the sponsorship of 250 kids for the full five years!
How you can help!
Everyone is invited to sponsor one or more children to participate in Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library.
- Sponsor a child for one year
providing 12 books – $25
- Sponsor a child for three years
providing 36 books – $75
- Sponsor a child for the whole program, five years
providing 60 books – $125
To sponsor, visit uwsm.org/DPIL.
Why Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library is important to Southwest Michigan
- According to the Michigan Department of Education, 56% of third graders in Berrien, Cass, and Van Buren Counties are not meeting reading proficiency.
- 75% of children who are poor readers in third grade will be poor readers in high school. Many of these children will struggle or eventually drop out of school
- In order for children to possess the proper reading skills in third grade, efforts at developing literacy abilities need to begin much sooner. Research shows that the learning environment at home, even from the very birth of a child, has tremendous impact on the short-term and long-term reading capability of a child.
- Children develop much of their capacity to learn in the first three years of life, when their brains grow to 90% of their eventual adult weight.
- Studies show that when children enter school with age-appropriate language and literacy skills, they are more likely to read at or above grade level by third grade. They are also better prepared to succeed in later grades.
- Immersing a child in a literacy-rich environment from birth can be a stronger predictor of literacy and academic achievement than family income.
Singer Dolly Parton, founder of Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, said, “When I was growing up in the hills of East Tennessee, I knew my dreams would come true. I know there are children in your community with their own dreams. They dream of becoming a doctor or an inventor or a minister. Who knows, maybe there is a little girl whose dream is to be a writer and singer. The seeds of these dreams are often found in books and the seeds you help plant in your community can grow across the world.”
ABOUT UNITED WAY
United Way of Southwest Michigan fights for the Health, Education, and Financial Stability of every person in every community. We have the influence and relationships to make sustainable change a reality. By harnessing resources from corporate, nonprofit, and public partners, we provide immediate assistance to our most vulnerable populations while addressing the root causes of our community’s longstanding challenges and changing lives for the better. To join the fight—through giving, advocacy, and volunteering—visit www.uwsm.org.
