United Way of Dutchess-Orange Region has chosen the Pine Bush Central School District to be part of the Dolly Parton Imagination Library.
The library provides books each month, free of charge, to children aged five and under, if they are in the areas served and signed up for the program.
The United Way secured funding to provide books for district residents in zip codes 12549 (Montgomery), 12566 (Pine Bush), 10919 (Circleville) and 10985 (Thompson Ridge). Parents and guardians in these zip codes with children aged five and under are eligible for the program. These areas were selected by the United Way.
Superintendent Joe Lenz and Assistant Superintendent for Instruction Rachel Adelstein attended the Imagination Breakfast on Thursday, Sept. 18, where Pine Bush and Webutuck District were announced as the very first districts chosen in the area to participate in the library.
“It’s a genuine pleasure to be here today on behalf of the entire Pine Bush Central School District,” said Superintendent Lenz at the breakfast. “I want to extend our deepest gratitude to the United Way of the Dutchess-Orange Region for choosing us as one of the two inaugural communities for Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library. Your dedication to childhood literacy is nothing short of inspiring, and we are profoundly grateful to be your partner in this journey.”
Here is how it works. Parents and guardians in the areas of the district where the program is available may sign their children up for the program if they are between birth and five years old. They can click here to sign up online or print out the registration form and mail it or deliver it to the United Way office in Poughkeepsie. Children who are registered will receive one book each month delivered to their home address, free of charge.
“One of our fundamental efforts is to address early childhood literacy,” said Mark Villanti, a member of the United Way of Dutchess-Orange Region Board of Directors. “We have identified the Pine Bush community as a potential partner. We plan to bring Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library to your community. The program is aimed at inspiring a love of reading by gifting books free of charge from birth to age five.”
Villanti, a former superintendent at Spackenkill and Haldane, said Pine Bush’s commitment to childhood literacy is one of the reasons the district was chosen from those in the region. He noted the district’s pre-K initiative that offers a full-day program free of charge to parents as part of that commitment.
Mr. Lenz noted that our number one priority in the district this year is literacy.
“At Pine Bush, we have made literacy our number one priority this year because we know it is the foundation of all learning,” he said. “We are committed to ensuring every child has the skills they need to succeed in school and in life. The launch of Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library could not have come at a more opportune time.”
He thanked all involved for including Pine Bush in their inaugural program.
“We know we cannot do this critical work alone,” Mr. Lenz continued. “It takes strong partnerships, visionary leadership and unwavering community support, and this initiative brings all of that together. To the United Way, to Dolly Parton, to the sponsors and to everyone involved, thank you. You have recognized that literacy is equity, books are bridges and early literacy can change lives. Your support will have a lasting, transformative impact on families in our district for years to come.”
According to ImaginationLibrary.com, “Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library is dedicated to inspiring a love of reading by gifting books free of charge to children from birth to age five, through funding shared by Dolly Parton and local community partners in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia and Republic of Ireland.
“Inspired by her father’s inability to read and write, Dolly started her Imagination Library in 1995 for the children within her home county. Today, her program spans five countries and gifts millions of free books each month to children around the world.”