By Jenni Marsh—
MUNCIE, IN—Imagine your child receiving a brand-new, high-quality book every month from birth to age five—absolutely free. That’s the magic of Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library; a program Heart of Indiana United Way (HIUW) proudly coordinates and funds across the five counties we serve.
It’s more than just books. It’s about building a foundation for lifelong success. Studies show that children from low-income families hear 30 million fewer words by the age of three than their more affluent peers. That “word gap” has long-term effects on vocabulary, reading readiness, and educational achievement. Most of these families work two or three jobs just to make ends meet, leaving little time or resources to buy books or read regularly to their children.
That’s where Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library steps in—delivering a book a month directly to children’s homes. Access to books in the home is a proven way to close the word gap. Thanks to our generous donors, The CenterPoint Foundation, and funding from the state these last two years, 14,118 children have benefited since we launched this program in Delaware County almost a decade ago. United Way brought the program to this community in January 2016. Since then, 4,763 children have been served!
Currently, across our five counties, 7,403 children are currently enrolled. Over 1,853 of those babies, toddlers, and preschoolers are from Delaware County.
Unfortunately, the state of Indiana has removed its match funding for Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library from the upcoming budget. That leaves HIUW with a tough choice: reduce the number of children served or find new ways to fund this life-changing program.
Luckily, we know some incredible women who don’t back down from a challenge. Our Women United leadership team is bringing the energy with a brand-new event: Imagination Jams—Musical Bingo for Books!
Mark your calendars: Thursday, May 15th, 6–8 p.m. at Cornerstone Center for the Arts in Muncie. This is not your grandma’s bingo—think clips of hit songs from every genre, prizes, and nonstop fun. And every ticket sold supports getting books into the hands of kids—thanks to Title Sponsor the Henry County Health Department, and in-kind support from Cornerstone Center for the Arts, Cultured Urban Winery, and Seamless Beats.
Tickets are just $30— about what it costs to send a child a book every month for an entire year through Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library! Or you can grab a table for six at a discounted price of $150. That’s adults-only, (18 years and older), so line up that babysitter and join us! Everyone’s welcome—guys, gals, nonbinary pals, music lovers, and bingo buffs.
Can’t make it? You can still help: Text Give2Read to 41444 to sponsor a child. Or learn more at HeartOfIndianaUnitedWay.org or call us at 765-288-5586 and find out how you can help support children in Delaware County.
Let’s jam together and give every child the joy of books and the power of words.
Jenni Marsh is president & CEO of Heart of Indiana United Way serving Madison, Delaware, Henry, Randolph, and Fayette Counties. She can be reached at jmarsh@HeartOfIndiana.org or 765-896-5902.
