NICK GOSNELL
Hutch Post
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — United Way of Reno County is encouraging parents to sign up their children under five to receive books from the Dolly Parton Imagination Library.
"You can go to our website, unitedwayofrenocounty.org, under Our Work, there is a link right there for the Dolly Parton Imagination Library," said Carla Stanfield with United Way. "Enter your information and we will get you into our system and books will start being delivered to your home for your children once a month."
The idea is to get parents to have age-appropriate books at home to read to their children. It helps get them ready for school. The statistics were sobering when the program was started over a decade ago.
"They weren't necessarily apples to apples, but 52% of our kiddos in Reno County at that point were showing kindergarten ready," said Lisa Gleason with the United Way. "Right now, we're showing 78% of our kiddos kindergarten ready. Do we think we are the only reason why, maybe, those statistics are improving? No. But, we know we're a factor. We know this program is making a difference."
Books are free to the kids. Even if you were part of the program with older kids, it's worth signing up again.
"Please, sign them all up," Stanfield said. "Your four-year-old and your two-year-old are going to get vastly different books and they change the books out every so often. Just, even if you've had one completely graduate from the program and you have a new baby, please sign that new baby up."
If you have questions, you can call the United Way of Reno County at (620) 669-9329.
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