Latest news with #ImaginationLibraryofWashington
Yahoo
03-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Two years after program went statewide, Washington Legislature does not fund Dolly Parton Imagination Library
May 2—Faced with a budget crunch, Washington state lawmakers opted not to fund a program launched by country music legend Dolly Parton that provides free books once a month to children under 5. Parton started Imagination Library in 1995 in her hometown in Tennessee . It has provided more than 200 million books to children free of charge over the past 30 years. Across the country, more than 2 million children receive books monthly through the Imagination Library. The program currently serves 9,800 kids in Spokane County, and has provided more than 200,000 books to nearly 15,000 kids in the county since it began. As the program expanded statewide in Washington, Parton joined a collection of elected officials for a reception in Tacoma to promote it. The day was hailed as a day of celebration for the state, with a formal proclamation signed by governor declaring Aug. 15 as "Dolly Parton Day." The event included a discussion with the music legend, as well as a performance of her 1971 hit song "Coat of Many Colors." During the event, Parton said the program helps "instill a love for reading and the love for books." "I do other things, but I don't think I'll ever do anything more important or more personal to me than this," Parton said. With the expansion, Washington became the 11th state, and the first on the West Coast, to allow any child to sign up for the program free of charge. Less than two years later, legislators did not include a request for $7 million to help fund the program over the next two years in the operating budget adopted by both the House and Senate over the weekend. "This is a heartbreaking loss to our team, our 46 local Imagination Library partners, and, most importantly, the 121,000 children across Washington, who receive the gift of a free book each month," Brooke Fisher-Clark, executive director of Imagination Library of Washington, said in a statement. According to the Imagination Library of Washington, the program is funded equally through public funds and local Imagination Library partners. Chris Reykdal, the Superintendent of Public Instruction, hosted the on-stage chat with Parton during the 2023 event. In an emailed statement Thursday, Reykdal said the Imagination Library "is an effective and cost-efficient program to engage our youngest learners and their families in reading." "The Legislature unfortunately had to make tough budget choices this session, and I am disappointed that funding for this program was not prioritized," Reykdal said. "Because the program is funded by a 1:1 state and local partner match, a total elimination of state funding has a deep impact." Reykdal said his office is still reviewing what the funding cut means, and how it will impact the children currently enrolled, though he pledged to work with the Legislature to restore the funds. The Dolly Parton Library is also asking the public to donate money to fund the program. Information about how to donate can be found at "With the loss of state funding, our statewide programmatic framework has been altered, and we must now pivot to address this funding challenge. We need the public to rally and help us preserve this impactful program for young children. Please act and contribute now to ensure its survival," Fisher-Clark said in a statement.
Yahoo
30-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
‘A heartbreaking loss': Dolly Parton's Imagination Library loses funding in WA
This story was originally published on Washington's operating budget did not include funding for Dolly Parton's Imagination Library, potentially stopping the delivery of monthly books to over 121,000 children, according to a news release from Imagination Library on Tuesday. 'This is a heartbreaking loss to our team, our 46 local Imagination Library partners, and, most importantly, the 121,000 children across Washington, who receive the gift of a free book each month,' Brooke Fisher-Clark, Executive Director of Imagination Library of Washington, stated via the news release. The program, which initially started as a local project in Parton's Tennessee home county in 1995, is now a nationwide gifting program aimed at sending free books to children from birth up to age five, regardless of income. The library expanded to Washington in 2022, making it the first West Coast state to do so. According to the organization, Imagination Library has relied on a public-private partnership model, with half of its funding coming from the state and the other half coming from local partners. But with the legislative session coming to a close, the state operating budget for 2025-2027 was released and will not include any funding for the library. In a letter to the public, the local branch's Executive Director, Brooke Fisher-Clark, wrote that without funding, the future of the program is now 'in jeopardy.' The lack of funding came as a shock to the organization, following explicit support from the state in previous years. In 2022, House Bill 2068 passed, creating a 50/50 partnership between the organization and the state government. In 2023, Parton personally showed her support for the state program by visiting Tacoma and attending a fireside chat on the success of the program in Washington. According to the Imagination Library of Washington, more than 118,000 children in the state are currently getting monthly books from the program. All children eligible can register and receive books for free, but it costs the program roughly $26 per month per child to deliver books. Without the funding in 2025, Clark said they must receive at least $2 million in order to continue operating the program. The Imagination Library of Washington is now turning to the public for support, asking for donations.
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.
