Southern Illinois Foundation raises money to keep kids in Dolly Parton book program
MARION, Ill. (KBSI) – According to the National Institute for Literacy, children who participate in reading programs ahead of entering into school are more likely to perform ahead of grade level in both reading and writing.
This is one of the reasons why organizations in Southern Illinois are fighting to secure funding for free reading programs in young children.
Byram Fager is the Southern Illinois Community Foundation CEO. The Southern Illinois Community Foundation is a nonprofit organization that helps raise money for things like literacy, housing programs and more. They cover the 18 most southern counties in Illinois.
Fager shares that they have been able to provide more than 6500 children with free books over the last year through the Dolly Parton Imagination Library program, but funding is starting to run out.
“The challenge has been, tough, and we actually don’t quite have enough funding” says Fager.
Fager shares that it costs about $16 per child per year to cover their side of the program. Dolly Parton covers the other half of the cost. Fager shares that they have seen a lot of success from providing free books to young children.
Experts say that early exposure to books and reading help children to develop language skills, expand vocabulary and build strong comprehension abilities. Fager shares that children getting excited about reading is the goal.
“And we get pictures all the time where kids will say, ‘when is my next book coming?’ And then that day it arrives in the mail. I mean, we know when your kid’s like, how many times did you get something mailed to you? Well, this is a one of those exciting things” says Fager.
Fager says they currently have around 6500 children receiving a free book each month from ages zero through five, but they know there’s more kids that could benefit.
To make a donation or signup your child click the link below and find the county you wish to donate too.
Southern Illinois Community Foundation – For Good. Forever. For Southern Illinois.
