Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library Expands Across Western New York, Bringing Free Books to Even More Children. ML
State Assemblyman Jon Rivera and United Way Buffalo and Erie County are helping expand Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library program in Erie County.
“The way the program works is that a child from ages birth to five can receive a book every month delivered to them, addressed to them so that they might begin a love of reading and that they’re able to build a library inside their homes of all the classic books,” said Trina Burruss, the president and CEO of United Way of Buffalo and Erie County.
Last year, the program was available in three local zip codes, sending more than 20,000 books to children here locally. Now the program is available in all zip codes of Erie County.
“We really believe wholeheartedly that is something we needed to get going back in Erie County. There was a time where we did have it, but over the years it kind of went away,” said Assemblyman Jonathan Rivera.
Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library started in 1995 and has gifted more than 300 million books to children under the age of five.
“This expansion is especially meaningful at a time where our nation is facing a literacy crisis, we know that too many children are arriving at kindergarten already behind, and we also know that the challenges of the pandemic only widen gaps that existed long before COVID,” said Rivera. “If we’re serious about improving outcomes in our schools, we must start earlier, much earlier.”
Every month, each child enrolled will receive a free book until they’re five years old.
“Books give us the perception of the world that we’re surrounded by, but also the unlimited possibilities of where our imagination can go. And study after study shows that early reading really matters for developing the child’s brain and how they look at learning and look at reading lifelong,” said Angela Marinucci, a Council Member for the Town of Amherst.
