MANSFIELD — More than 4,100 children in Richland County receive a free book every month through the Dolly Parton Imagination Library.
That program is now at risk of ending due to a funding shortfall.
Julie Chaya, commissioner of Richland Public Health, said there is about five months’ worth of local matching funds needed to keep the program running.
“We’re in crisis mode,” Chaya said. “We’re going to be struggling here soon.”
How is the Imagination Library Funded?
Country music singer Dolly Parton established Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library in 1995. The program mails enrolled children a free book monthly until their 5th birthday, at no cost to their families.
Parton’s charity, the Dollywood Foundation, covers a big chunk of program expenses, but communities are also required to chip in.
The Dollywood Foundation covers overhead and administrative expenses, coordinates book production, fulfillment and shipping and provides a secure database and technical support to manage the program.
The Ohio Legislature offers a 50-percent match on funds raised by local program partners.
Local program partners manage enrollment and fundraising for their geographic area. Richland County’s local program partner is Richland Public Health, which Chaya said contributes $15,000 per year.
“Early childhood literacy is not only a preparedness for school issue, it’s also a health and well-being and quality-of-life issue,” Chaya said.
At current enrollment levels, the local cost of the program is about $5,500 a month — or $2.60 per child. The monthly cost recently rose by forty cents per kid, according to Chaya.
“The Dollywood Foundation tries to keep the cost of the books per month for each child as low as possible,” Chaya said.
“But when you have well over 4,100 kids throughout our county participating and that number continues to grow, that extra 40 cents starts to add up pretty quick.”
RPH officials said the agency has raised about $30,000 so far for the coming year — just over five months’ worth of the local share.
How to donate or sign up for the Imagination Library
Richland Public Health is seeking donations to keep the Imagination Library program running.
Chaya said no donation is too small. A donation of $31.20 can cover a Richland County child’s local costs for one year.
Community members can also select the Imagination Library to receive donations through the Kroger Community Rewards program.
The program donates to participating organization based on a percentage of what shoppers spend. The program is listed as ‘Richland Co. Imagination Library.’
To learn more about the Richland County Imagination Library, enroll your child or make a donation, click here.
For more information on how to select the program for Kroger Community Rewards, click here.
