Smart Start Rowan

SALISBURY — Smart Start and Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library are working together to bring books to North Carolina’s youngest children through funding provided by the N.C. General Assembly.

During the 2017 legislative session, lawmakers included $3.5 million in the first year of the budget and $7 million in the second year for the Smart Start network to offer free books through Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library to children across the state.

Imagination Library was created to foster a love of reading among children to age 5 through the gift of a selected book delivered right to their home each month. Beneficiaries include Smart Start Rowan.

“I’m thrilled that my Imagination Library is going to be offered to so many children in North Carolina” said Dolly Parton, the founder of Imagination Library. “Working together we can help children dream more, learn more, care more and be more.”

“Our state leaders clearly understand how important an early love of reading is for each child’s success in school and later in life,” said Cindy Watkins, president of the North Carolina Partnership for Children, which oversees the Smart Start network. “Smart Start works in every community to ensure young children have a strong foundation for starting kindergarten. Now we can offer this important literacy program to that critical work.”

“Smart Start Rowan is thrilled to have this support from our state leaders to provide books to young children in our local community,” said Amy Brown, executive director of Smart Start Rowan. “Early literacy and a love of reading is a critical component in creating the foundation for kindergarten readiness and for future learning and success. We are so excited about the meaningful and lasting impact the Dolly Parton Imagination Library program will have for our county’s children and families.”

To find out more about Smart Start and Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library partnership, and to check availability and register a child, visit http://www.smartstart.org/dolly-partons-imagination-library/.