Latest news with #Fisher-Clark
Yahoo
30-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
They send WA toddlers a book a month. That could end after state funding cuts
Washington lawmakers have cut funding for a children's literacy program that serves more than 121,000 children in the state. The Imagination Library is a literacy program run by The Dollywood Foundation; founded by Dolly Parton in 1995, the program mails enrolled children a monthly book from birth to five years of age at no cost to families. Washington state lawmakers ended their legislative session on April 27, finalizing the state's 2025–2027 operating budget. Although the state had previously indicated it would provide funding for the expansion of the Imagination Library, its funding was omitted from the final budget, according to a release the Imagination Library sent on April 28. According to 2023 U.S. Census data, there are just under 504,000 children age five and under in Washington state, meaning nearly one in four receive books from the Imagination Library. Brooke Fisher-Clark, executive director of the Imagination Library of Washington, said lawmakers had previously partnered with the foundation with House Bill 2068, which passed in 2022 and established the Imagination Library as a statewide program, providing about $2.5 million in state funding for the 2022-2024 biennium. The Imagination Library uses a public-private partnership model that receives a 50% funding match, with half from local partners and half from the state, according to the release. Now, the foundation hopes to rally the public to donate, with a goal of $2 million in order to keep the program running past June for the more than 121,000 currently enrolled Washington children, Fisher-Clark said. Factoring in expected growth of the program, the fundraising goal lies around $3.2 million, she added. In 2024, a research survey conducted by the Imagination Library of Washington in partnership with Longview Public Schools in southern Washington found that children participating in the Imagination Library before kindergarten performed better on the WaKIDS Kindergarten Readiness Assessment in eight learning objectives pertaining to literacy. Fisher-Clark said the foundation and its dozens of local program partners — which include school foundations, service clubs and nonprofits — advocated for continued funding, and asked for $7 million for the upcoming biennium to support existing enrollment and projected growth. Despite these efforts, the legislature faced a large budget deficit and couldn't find room for the program, she said. The majority of children enrolled are in the two to four age range — should the foundation fail to raise the funds necessary to continue operations, local program partners will have to decide whether to continue or pause the Imagination Library's operations and registrations in their area based on their own budgets, Fisher-Clark said. 'We are currently only able to support sending children their June books,' she said. 'Unless we get some significant support from the public, that is it for us being a statewide partner program, and it could be the end for the majority of our local program partners offering this program.' Since announcing the funding cut on Monday, the program has seen donations coming in and is hopeful to work towards their goal, Fisher-Clark said, adding that on Tuesday, the foundation was excited to receive a $40,000 anonymous donation, the bulk of about $45,000 they have raised so far. Contributions can be made at 'We really hope that the public rises to the occasion here and can save this wonderful program that was collectively built by so many people that love children and love early literacy around the state,' she said.
Yahoo
23-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Dolly Parton's Imagination Library of Washington in ‘jeopardy' without state funds
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – Dolly Parton's Imagination Library of Washington, a program that sends children free books across the state, is warning the program could 'crumble' amid budget talks in the state legislature. Dolly Parton started the Imagination Library in 1995, taking inspiration from her father who could not read or write. Under the program, the library sends children from birth to age five a free book every month, giving children a chance to expand early learning skills while developing stronger bonds with loved ones who read with them. Hwy 26's 'The Bump' sends cars airborne as locals fight for improvements The program has sent over 270 million books to children around the world, and currently serves over 120,000 kids in Washington state. After starting in two counties in the state, the Imagination Library expanded statewide in 2022 under — creating the first Imagination Library on the West Coast and the 11th Imagination Library in the nation. Now, the program is facing an uncertain future, Imagination Library of Washington's Executive Director Brooke Fisher-Clark told KOIN 6 News. Half of the library's funding model relies on state funds and the state previously provided funding through one-time dollars under former Governor Jay Inslee. Inslee's last budget proposal in December, before leaving office, did not propose continuing the library's funding into the new biennium, according to current Gov. Bob Ferguson's office. Vancouver considers annexation that could make it Washington's second-largest city In February, Gov. Ferguson released a budget proposal which would make $4 billion in budget cuts amid a funding shortfall, and did not address funding for the Imagination Library, leaving the library's future uncertain. '(The Imagination Library) was not included in the governor's original budget that was presented,' Fisher-Clark said. 'We know that the Washington legislature is facing a tough budget year, and we hope that they'll continue to maintain that commitment that they made with House Bill 2068 by sustaining the Imagination Library funding, which helps to support the cost of the books and shipping to enrolled children and for future children to be able to register.' The Imagination Library of Washington is requesting $7 million from the biannual budget. Without that funding, Fisher-Clark said, 'it would really cause the statewide program to crumble.' Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now 'We have 46 local program partners that are nonprofits that operate this in all parts of our state, and they really are the ones that provide the service locally to their children. It would cause them to not be able to sustain it financially,' the executive director said. Highlighting the importance of the program, Fisher-Clark explained that sending free books to children helps prepare them for K-12 and beyond. 'It helps to prepare children for kindergarten and for that K-12 journey and it really enhances family bonds,' Fisher-Clark said. 'It's really critical, that birth to five age range, for brain development with all of those neurons doing their work to shape that child and prepare them for their future.' Astoria restaurant named Oregon's best seafood spot, according to Yelp 'It really covers all the areas of what we look at for what creates a thriving, healthy human being in terms of health, education and the economic mobility,' she added. HB 2068 was passed in the Washington legislature with bipartisan support, led by Washington Rep. Monica Stonier (D-Vancouver) and Rep. Peter Abbarno (R-Centralia), who says he's advocating for the state to continue funding the program. 'My children were part of the Imagination Library in Lewis County and one of the first iterations of the program was in Cowlitz County and Lewis County, and so we got them signed up really early on,' Rep. Abbarno told KOIN 6 News. Multiple cougar sightings reported near Beaverton shopping center 'It was amazing to have a monthly book that the kids got really excited for that created family time. It's all about building bonds too. Reading with your kids just builds really strong bonds,' Abbarno said. 'When I had the opportunity to get elected to the legislature, when they were expanding the Imagination Library statewide, they, early on, asked me if I would help out with the bill that helped create that Imagination Library of Washington, and I was in 100%,' Abbarno said. 'I hear from families in my neighborhood now, 'I have young grandkids and they're members of the Imagination Library and they all love the program,'' Abbarno said. 'It has grown in not only the number of people accessing books zero to five, but in the kind of books, the culturally appropriate books, the books that are in Spanish – it's just grown in a way that's being more inclusive to more families and again, it's just about making sure kids develop their brains, their imagination early on.' Oregon Uber, Lyft drivers could see new protections under Senate bill 'And you know, parents who read the books, they get excited too, because I think any of us who are in our 40s remember the little Scholastic books we used to order when we were little kids and how excited we were when they used to come monthly. This is just a program that's almost automatic, like that,' Abbarno added. Abbarno — who serves as assistant ranking member of the House Capital Budget Committee — tells KOIN 6 he wants to see continued state funding for the program. 'I'm a supporter of the library and supportive of funding the library because when you invest in kids zero to five, you're investing in their future education, their future success. We know that there are way too many children who are entering kindergarten and they're not kindergarten ready. This program gets kids kindergarten ready, gets them prepared for school and I think it has lifelong implications. It most certainly will improve K-12 education when you're investing in children and families earlier and earlier,' Abbarno said. 'I've advocated for funding the program and continue to communicate that with my colleagues.' So far in the budget process, the Capital budget, transportation budget and operating budget are all in development, Abbarno said. 'Crown jewel': Portland City Council approves new Steel Bridge skate park 'Right now, they're looking at cuts across the board,' the District 20 representative explained. 'I don't think education and early learning, things like the Imagination Library, are investments that I don't think we should kick out because of the impact they have for our children right away. Every time you kick out something like early learning or childcare, or the Imagination Library, it sets our kids further back and when we want a high-quality education, we have to prioritize that and prioritizing that makes the most sense.' 'My district is from South Thurston County all the way into the City of Vancouver, so it's a huge district…We're in a desert and we need to focus on the best investments for our families and our kids and I think childcare and early learning are among the best investments we can make,' Abbarno added. 'When I'm out in the community, there's a number of top issues. Early learning and childcare is absolutely one of the top issues that people are struggling with.' While it's unclear if Washington's Imagination Library will receive state funding so far, Fisher-Clark told KOIN 6 she's hopeful funding will flow to the program, explaining, 'We were very grateful that it was included in the past biennium budget. And in the 30-year history…(Imagination Library programs) have never lost any state funding, so we are hopeful that Washington is not the first.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
