UW Imagination Library

Online Registration for the

Imagination Library to open on January 8, 2020

In 2017, the United Way of Clark, Champaign & Madison County began a partnership with Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library. Since that time over 72,000 books have been mailed to children in our three-county area. This has been made possible through the generosity of United Way donors, partnerships with local organizations, libraries, schools and literacy advocates.

Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library provides an enrolled child with a free, age-appropriate book mailed in the child’s name to their home address monthly. Children between the ages of newborn to 5 years old can register at any time to be a part of the program.

Ohio Governor Mike DeWine and Ohio First Lady Fran DeWine have seen first-hand how critical it is to promote brain development in children from birth to age 5. “Brain science shows the first years of a child’s life are the most important,” said Ohio First Lady Fran DeWine. “Mike and I are passionate about bringing the OGIL Program to every Ohio child who is eligible in every county and every zip code. The program is completely free to all children who are registered. We know it’ll make a difference, because it’s something we’ve seen for years firsthand reading to our kids and grandkids.”

Kerry Lee Pedraza, executive director of the United Way of Clark, Champaign & Madison Counties states that this program is about more than just literacy. “Children are our next generation of workers and this ultimately results in a workforce development issue.” Governor and First Lady Dewine have combined efforts with local communities, including United Way of Clark, Champaign & Madison Counties and the Dolly Parton Imagination Library to grow this program throughout the state of Ohio. The goal of the Ohio Governor’s Imagination Library is to ensure that every child in Ohio from birth to age five are have access and become enrolled. United Way of Clark, Champaign & Madison Counties will receive a dollar for dollar match through the Ohio Governor’s Imagination Library.

The new alliance between Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, Ohio Governor’s Imagination Library and United Way of Clark, Champaign & Madison Counties will allow the program to grow exponentially so all eligible children in Ohio can enroll in 2020. In continuation towards this goal the United Way of Clark, Champaign & Madison Counties is excited to announce that this partnership will allow online registrations to be an option. Online registration is now available on the website at: https://www.uwccmc.org/dolly-parton-imagination-library .

While the program is completely free to all registered children and there are no income guidelines to be enroll, the yearly cost to fund a child is $25. United Way of Clark, Champaign and Madison Counties must continue to raise the matching funds necessary to grow the program. To offset these costs, the United Way of Clark, Champaign & Madison Counties holds an annual fundraiser in each county called Power of the Purse. The money that is raised in each county stays in each county for the support of the children in those communities. On Friday, February 21st, 2020, the fourth annual Power of the Purse auction will be held at the Clark State Hollenbeck Bayley Conference Center to benefit the Clark County Dolly Parton's Imagination Library. Save the date for the Madison County Power of the Purse auction will be held on Friday, May 8th, 2020 and the Champaign County Power of the Purse auction on Thursday, May 14 ^th , 2020. Tickets for all events can be purchased on the UWCCMC website at www.uwccmc.org .

United Way of Clark, Champaign & Madison Counties strives to reach every eligible child with this program and looks forward to the implementation of these new partnerships that will amplify the success of the program.