OUR ORIGINS
In 1995, Dolly Parton launched an exciting new effort, Dolly Parton's Imagination Library, to benefit the children of her home county in East Tennessee, USA. Dolly's vision was to foster a love of reading among her county's preschool children and their families by providing them with the gift of a specially selected book each month. By mailing high quality, age-appropriate books directly to their homes, she wanted children to be excited about books and to feel the magic that books can create. Moreover, she could insure that every child would have books, regardless of their family's income. Since 2017, Smart Start of Mecklenburg County and Dolly Parton's Imagination Library have been working together to bring books to Mecklenburg County's youngest children.
OUR GOAL
To ensure that families with children birth to five years of age are fully equipped with the appropriate developmental tools and resources needed to promote the importance of early literacy. We want to continue supporting parents as they shape and mold some of tomorrows most successful and productive citizens.
For more information about how the Dolly Parton Imagination Library works here in Charlotte, please contact Ayesha Rahim at dpil@smartstartofmeck.org or 704-943-9496.
WHO IS ELIGIBLE?
Children ages 0-4 years, living in Mecklenburg County.