Member Spotlight: Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library
We’re shining June’s Member Spotlight on the United Way of Whitman County and their partnership with Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library (DPIL), a program designed to help ignite a love of reading among preschoolers and their families. Recently, the team at the Pullman Chamber had the opportunity to sit down with the team at United Way to learn more about DPIL’s roots and its impact throughout Whitman County.
Since launching locally in April of 2022, Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library has delivered more than 38,000 books to over 1,650 children across various communities in Whitman County. Every month, children from birth to age five receive a free, high-quality, age-appropriate book mailed directly to their home. Those books help families build strong literacy habits early and make reading an exciting part of everyday life.
The Imagination Library began nationally in 1995 through Dolly Parton’s Dollywood Foundation in honor of her father, who never learned to read or write. The program has had a presence in Washington State since 2005, and in 2022 state legislation codified the Imagination Library of Washington as the nonprofit to administer the DPIL statewide, and manage a 50% state funding match to help offset affiliate program costs. However, that state funding match ended this June following cuts to early learning funding. The United Way of Whitman County must now raise 100% of the approximately $32,000 needed annually to continue providing books to local children.
Despite the recent loss of the state funding match, the United Way of Whitman County remains committed to keeping Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library available to every child in our community. The program has no income requirements, with organizers emphasizing that “everyone needs books.” Enrollment partners range from Pullman Regional Hospital to local libraries, schools and childcare centers, ensuring families enroll children early, often beginning right at birth.
For the families that participate in the program, the impact goes far beyond having a book to stick on a shelf. One local parent, who enrolled their child in the program after moving to the area in 2022, shared that receiving books from the DPIL in the mail has become one of their family’s favorite monthly traditions. With a bookish foundation and an established family-wide love for reading, the parent spoke to the quality of the books her young son receives from DPIL, describing them as “very special” with engaging narrative rhythm, bilingual options and thoughtful messages that help young children process the world around them. Books distributed by the program are selected by a committee of educators through the Dollywood Foundation, with titles selected specifically to support early literacy, diversity and developmental learning. A staple of the program, every child’s first book is “The Little Engine That Could,” accompanied by a note from Dolly Parton herself.
As the United Way of Whitman County works to sustain the program locally, community support has become more important than ever. Organizations and businesses including Pullman Rotary, Pullman Kiwanis, Pullman Regional Hospital Women’s Leadership Guild, Addium-METER Foundation, Avista Foundation and Thrifty Grandmothers Shop have all helped support the initiative alongside many generous individual donors. Additional support continues to grow through efforts like the Whitman County Pomona Grange’s upcoming “Words for Whitman” Readathon and Literacy Fair on Aug. 1 at the Whelan-Ewartsville Grange Hall in Pullman.
Community members interested in inspiring a love of reading and supporting early literacy in Whitman County can donate directly to Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library on the United Way website. Just $32 sponsors one child’s books for an entire year, helping ensure local children continue receiving the joy of a new book in their mailbox each month.
Through continued community support, the United Way of Whitman County hopes to nurture a love of reading amongst our youngest population. Your donations to Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library directly help our local children reach their full potential!