Issue link: https://nebusinessmedia.uberflip.com/i/1512597
10 | COMMUNITY IMPACT REPORT 2023 | UNITED WAY OF CENTRAL AND NORTHEASTERN CONNECTICUT IMPACT ON LITERACY Dolly Parton's Imagination Library Grows I f you were asked to reflect on your favorite childhood book, how would you respond? You would likely conjure up particular titles or series; something that you read over and over again. You may even think back to the person who gave it to you or read it to you most often. These fond memories likely make it hard to imagine that something as core as pulling a book off of your bookshelf is simply out of reach for many children, but it is in fact a reality. It is a reality that is both exacerbated by and contributing to financial instability across our region. According to the Child Literacy Project, 61 percent of children in households experiencing financial insecurity have no access to books in their households; and, research shows that the number of books children have in their homes at an early age directly correlates to their reading proficiency throughout their academic experiences. In central and northeastern Connecticut, two-thirds of children are not reading proficiently by the start of fourth grade, a key indicator for future success. United Way works with partners to provide a continuum of services to support families experiencing financial hardship, beginning with education. We provide books to young children to build home libraries and support kindergarten readiness, invest in programs that promote academic success for school- age students and advocate for more support to reduce disparities and ensure that all children have opportunities to succeed academically. We know how critical it is for children to read at grade- level by the start of the fourth grade and exposing them to books at an early stage can make a huge difference for their futures. United Way is proud to invest in and manage United WE READ initiatives across our region that support children from birth through third grade in achieving developmental and academic milestones. One of these initiatives is Dolly Parton's Imagination Library, which launched in Hartford in October 2020 thanks to the support of Connecticut Children's and many other collaborators. Imagination Library is a book subscription program that allows families to enroll their children from birth to age five to receive a free age-appropriate book in English or Spanish monthly by mail. Since we helped launch Dolly Parton's Imagination Library in Hartford three years ago, we have seen its popularity and impact grow, and recently celebrated the milestone of sending out our 100,000th book. In our advocacy role, last spring, United Way, represented by our staff and volunteers, testified in a public hearing to allocate state funding for expanding youth literacy programs like Dolly Parton's Imagination Library. When the state budget was signed into law over the summer, this appropriation was adopted. Additionally, thanks to the funding earmarked by U.S. Congresswoman Jahana Hayes, we are expanding Imagination Library to New Britain residents in the coming months. As we continue our literacy work across our region with Dolly Parton's Imagination Library and other initiatives, intentional efforts have been made to support program growth in North Hartford Promise Zone to improve childhood academic success through impactful collaborative work as part of the Ascend Pipeline program.