March is National Reading Month, and the United Way of Southwest Michigan is encouraging the community to rally around early childhood literacy by sponsoring children to participate in Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library. Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library is an early childhood literacy program offered by the United Way. It mails age-appropriate books to enrolled children each month until their 5th birthday. The United Way says that not only affects kindergarten readiness, but it also makes a big impact on third grade reading proficiency. The program is provided free of charge to all children under the age of 5 and their families, regardless of income. However, the cost for the United Way to provide the program is $25 per child per year. That’s why it’s seeking sponsors for the kids. You can sponsor a child for a year for $25, or for multiple years with additional cost. You can sign up here. Currently, more than 7,000 children are enrolled in Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library in Berrien, Cass, and Van Buren counties.
