United Way of Southwest Wyoming Celebrates “Give Like Dolly Day” by Highlighting Local Imagination Library Impact
Nearly 2,000 local children currently receive free books each month through Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library
On September 25, United Way of Southwest Wyoming (UWSW) will join communities around the world in celebrating Give Like Dolly Day, a new annual day honoring Dolly Parton’s legacy and encouraging people to support the local organizations that make Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library possible in their communities.
United Way of Southwest Wyoming is proud to serve as the local Imagination Library affiliate for Lincoln, Sweetwater and Uinta counties, raising the local funds needed to provide free, high-quality books to children from birth to age five.
Currently, 1,907 children across the three counties are enrolled in Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library and receive a book mailed directly to their home each month. Since UWSW began serving as the local affiliate, 8,089 children have graduated from the program by reaching their fifth birthday.
Last year alone, United Way of Southwest Wyoming helped mail 29,155 books to children through the program.
“Dolly created the Imagination Library with a simple but powerful idea—that every child should have books in their home and the opportunity to develop a love of reading from an early age,” said Kelly Frink, Executive Director of United Way of Southwest Wyoming. “We are incredibly proud to carry that mission forward locally. Every month, nearly 2,000 children in our communities get the excitement of finding a book addressed specifically to them in their mailbox.”
A Local Program Powered by Local Support
While Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library is an international program, its success depends heavily on local affiliates like United Way of Southwest Wyoming.
Local partners raise funds, promote enrollment and provide the community support necessary to cover the local cost of books and mailing. The Dollywood Foundation provides the infrastructure and resources that allow local affiliates to deliver the program to children and families.
UWSW receives support for its local Imagination Library program from a variety of community partners and donors, including United Way Workplace Campaign donors who designate their gifts to the Imagination Library, parents and families of program graduates, Rock Springs Kiwanis, the City of Green River and the Wyoming Community Foundation.
“Every one of those gifts matters,” Frink said. “Whether it comes from an employee choosing the Imagination Library through their workplace campaign, a parent giving back after their child graduates from the program, or a community organization investing in early literacy, those dollars help us keep books arriving in local mailboxes month after month.”
The program is offered at no cost to families, and every enrolled child receives one age-appropriate book each month from birth until their fifth birthday. A child enrolled at birth can build a personal library of as many as 60 books before entering kindergarten.
Giving Like Dolly on September 25
The Dollywood Foundation established Give Like Dolly Day to celebrate Dolly’s lifelong commitment to children and encourage communities to support the local partners carrying her Imagination Library mission forward.
Dolly often referred to local Imagination Library partners as the program’s “true heroes” because of their work raising funds, building community support and ensuring children have access to books regardless of their family’s income.
“For Dolly, giving was always personal and from her heart,” said Jeff Conyers, President of The Dollywood Foundation. “She believed deeply in helping people, especially children, and she always felt if you are in a position to help, you should help. Give Like Dolly Day is an opportunity for people everywhere to not only support their local Imagination Library Partners but also other local nonprofits helping children.”
On September 25, United Way of Southwest Wyoming encourages residents and businesses to Give Like Dolly by supporting the Imagination Library locally. Donations help UWSW continue providing books to children throughout Lincoln, Sweetwater and Uinta counties and help ensure the program remains available for future generations of young readers.
Gifts can be direct to United Way of Southwest Wyoming at 4020 Dewar Dr. Ste. B, Rock Springs, WY 82901, or online at https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=2CBFLHT2YQ4RN
Community members can also help by sharing why early literacy matters to them and encouraging others to support children in their communities using #GiveLikeDolly.
A Legacy That Began With One Family
Dolly Parton founded the Imagination Library in 1995 in honor of her father, who could not read or write. What began in her home county in East Tennessee grew into the world’s leading early childhood book-gifting program.
Since its founding, Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library has gifted more than 300 million books to children. Today, more than 3 million books are mailed each month to children in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia and Republic of Ireland.
The program reflects Dolly’s belief that books can open doors for children and give them the opportunity to Dream More, Learn More, Care More and Be More.
For United Way of Southwest Wyoming, that global mission happens one local mailbox at a time.
“When a family opens their mailbox and finds that month’s Imagination Library book, they are seeing what community support can accomplish,” Frink said. “Give Like Dolly Day is an opportunity to celebrate Dolly’s remarkable legacy, but it is also an opportunity to make sure her vision continues right here in Southwest Wyoming.”
About United Way of Southwest Wyoming
United Way of Southwest Wyoming works to improve lives by mobilizing the caring power of communities to advance Youth Opportunity, Financial Security and Healthy Community. As the local affiliate for Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library in Lincoln, Sweetwater and Uinta counties, UWSW raises local funds and works with community partners to provide free monthly books to children from birth to age five.
About Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library
Launched in 1995, Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library is the world’s leading early childhood book-gifting program and the flagship initiative of The Dollywood Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Every enrolled child receives one high-quality, age-appropriate book each month from birth to age five at no cost to their family. The program operates through partnerships with local organizations that raise funds and build support to make the program available in their communities.
For more information about Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, visit ImaginationLibrary.com.