Program offers free books for kids

By Heidi Bell Gease, Journal Staff Writer | Sunday, October 27, 2002

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RAPID CITY -- For a toddler, being read to is comforting and educational. Studies show that children who are read to as youngsters will learn easier, read better and be more successful in school.

But for many low-income families who struggle to make ends meet, children's books are a luxury they can't afford. And if transportation is a problem, they might not use the library either.

That's where Dolly Parton's Imagination Library, a new program sponsored by United Way of the Black Hills, can make a difference for local children.

Imagination Library is a national program started by the country singer that provides age-appropriate, hard-covered books for children up to age 5. Each month, Parton's foundation mails each child in the program a book at no cost to parents.

Eventually, the child builds his own library of books, many based on classics such as "The Little Engine That Could" and "The Tale of Peter Rabbit." The idea is to encourage parents to read to their kids and to help kids learn to love books and learn at a young age.

The Sioux Empire United Way in Sioux Falls adopted the Imagination Library program last year and later encouraged the Black Hills agency to join. Thanks to a Parton benefit concert and donations from Citigroup and South Dakota Community Foundation, the state's United Way agencies are sharing $118,000 to fund the book program.

Renee Parker, executive director of United Way of the Black Hills, can hardly wait for local children to receive their first books next month.

"That's our gift to the children of our community, saying, 'Your education is important to us,'" Parker said. "It's a visible, tangible sign that we are working here in this community."

After one year, the Sioux Empire United Way is distributing books to 6,400 children monthly. "One out of every two kids now is receiving books from us," executive director Jay Powell in Sioux Falls said. "It's amazing."

The Black Hills community is following suit. As of Tuesday, 1,094 area children had signed up for Imagination Library - more than 200 of those in the past week.

That's thrilling for Parker. It's also a bit daunting.

"I would love to have this be an ongoing project forever, because I think it's an exciting program," she said. But that will depend on donations.

Parents aren't billed for the program, but it does cost money: $27 per child per year. Parents who can afford it are encouraged to donate. However, state statistics show that 55 percent of Pennington County's 6,275 children under age 5 live in low-income families.

Meanwhile, United Way supports 34 non-profit agencies in the Rapid City and Sturgis area through an annual fund-raising campaign. That has been, and will remain, United Way's focus, Parker said. "We want it to enhance what (the agencies) do, not take away from."

United Way of the Black Hills is midway through its fund-raising campaign, with a goal of raising $1.7 million by year's end. First-time donors are being asked to pledge $27 to purchase books for one child for one year. Previous donors are asked to add $27 to the donation they would otherwise have made to United Way.

So far, support has been good. One grandmother who heard about the program immediately wrote a $270 check to sponsor 10 children, Parker said.

Imagination Library has been hugely successful in Sioux Falls, prompting a 10 percent increase in campaign donations last year, compared with a normal increase of 6 to 7 percent.

"People really enjoyed making a gift that they knew would be turned into books for kids," director Powell said. "Where else can you spend $27 better than that? You can't."

Sherri Price, director of Youth & Family Services' Girls Inc. program, agrees. YFS, a local United Way agency, serves many families who are low-income.

"I think it's an excellent opportunity for the families that we're working with," she said, adding that she hopes it will encourage families to read together. "Maybe some of the older sisters will be reading to their siblings. I think it's just an awesome opportunity."

Aileen Folsland, a Reading Recovery teacher and former classroom teacher at South Park Elementary School, can tell which first-graders were introduced to books at a young age. "There's definitely a readiness there that you don't see when children haven't had that opportunity," she said. "Putting books in the hands of children who wouldn't otherwise have that opportunity ... I think it's just great."

Many believe that if more children learned to love books sooner, it eventually could reduce community problems with poverty and crime. Parker dreams of the possibilities.

"What if a program as simple as this ... could start to change the whole face of our community?" she asked.

For now, participation is focused on people who live or work in the Rapid City or Sturgis areas. Anyone who moves out of the area is automatically dropped from the program. For details or an application, call 343-5872 or stop at United Way at 621 Sixth St., Suite 100, in Rapid City.

Contact reporter Heidi Bell Gease at 394-8419 or at heidi.bell@rapidcityjournal.com