FRANKFORT, Ky. — Dolly Parton's Imagination Library of Kentucky received a sizeable donation Monday to help close the literacy gap in the Bluegrass State.
Kentucky Association of Health Plans (KAHP) announced a $100,000 donation to Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library of Kentucky. The grant extends the Imagination Library’s work of providing free books to children from birth to age five throughout the Commonwealth.
First Lady Britainy Beshear spoke on the benefits of the Imagination Library at an event at Paul Sawyier Public Library in Frankfort.
“I want to thank the Kentucky Association of Health Plans for their generous donation to our chapter of Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library,” Beshear said. "You are showing the true spirit of Team Kentucky – living out our values and taking care of all of our neighbors, especially our kids."
“Because of gifts like the one we’re celebrating today, every preschool child in our state can build their own library at no cost to their family," Beshear said. "That’s 60 books just for them, all before they start kindergarten, and we know the positive impact will last throughout the rest of their lives.”
From when they're born until age five, all Kentucky children can register at no cost to their families for Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library. All books are age-appropriate and chosen to support the exact stages of literacy development for a child, according to the KAHP.
“KAHP recognizes the profound impact that literacy has on the well-being of both the family and the child,” said Katherine Kington North, KAHP vice president of external affairs. “Health plans work for the best health outcomes for the children of Kentucky and we know that children who struggle with reading frequently face higher rates of anxiety and depression.”
Research shows that students who lack proficient reading skills by fourth grade are at a higher risk of struggling academically. Low literacy rates are also linked to other lasting consequences affecting our communities, such as poverty and crime.
“We are thrilled by this generous donation from KAHP,” said JC Morgan, state director of Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library of Kentucky. “Our goal is to reach as many children in Kentucky as possible. These funds will help us have a greater impact.”
