PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla. — Dolly Parton's Imagination Library is experiencing a surge in donations and new registrations in Palm Beach County following her death, as the community rallies to carry on her legacy of early childhood literacy.
Monique Boothe, a mother of 4, signed her children up for the program nearly a year ago.
WATCH BELOW: Donations, registrations spike for Dolly's Imagination Library
"It feels like Christmas every month because they get so excited they don't know what book they are going to get," Boothe said.
Thanks to the program, her kids are getting less screen time and are learning the value of books and how to read.
When Parton died, Boothe's kids were worried about what would happen to their monthly book deliveries.
"He was like, 'We get her books all the time; is that going to stop?'" Boothe said.
Her kids look forward to getting the books in the mail because they have their name on it. The program is allowing them to build up their at-home library.
"They bring it to me and say, 'Mommy, can you read it to me?' And they look at the pictures, and they are smiling," Boothe said.
Roxanne Mutchler, a board member with Palm Beach County's Imagination Library, said the program's legacy will continue.
"We had over 200 new children registered to get the books, which has to be a record for us. Not only have registrations gone up, but so have the donations," Mutchler said.
Participation in the Imagination Library allows families to build an at-home library of up to 60 books before their child starts kindergarten, at no cost to the family, regardless of income.
Books are high-quality and age-appropriate, selected by a panel of experts for each age group. Each book also includes caregiver reading resources to maximize engagement.
The program currently serves West Palm Beach, Lake Park, Mangonia Park, Riviera Beach and western Palm Beach County, among other areas, with coverage expanding to additional cities as funding is secured. The operational cost to support that coverage is $2.60 per book, including postage.
The program is made possible through community support. Their next major fundraiser will be the Dolly Parton Imagination Library 5K Walk or Run. It will be held on Nov. 7 at 8 a.m. in Royal Palm Beach at Commons Park.
If you would like to register for Dolly Parton's Imagination Library program, you can sign up online or by filling out a registration form and submitting it by email.
