Dolly Parton launches literacy program for Canadian kids

NEWS RELEASE

DOLLY PARTON'S IMAGINATION LIBRARY

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Dollywood North: Parton launches preschool literacy program

Dollywood and Invest in Kids bring Dolly Parton's Imagination Library to Canada

TORONTO, ONTARIO - Dolly Parton and Invest in Kids today announced the official Canadian launch of Dolly Parton's Imagination Library, a preschool literacy program that sends children a free, age-appropriate book each month from the time they're born to their fifth birthday.

"Ever since my childhood, my dream has been for every child to have a library of books their parents can read to them from, from the time they're born to the time they start school," said Ms. Parton at the launch celebration in Toronto today.

"With the Imagination Library, that dream's becoming a reality, and now thanks to Invest in Kids it's coming to Canada," she said.

"Like almost everything she's done, the Imagination Library has its roots in rural Tennessee, and it's become as big as life…that's the Dolly way," said Nancy Birnbaum, president and CEO of Invest in Kids, the national charitable organization responsible for bringing the program to Canada.

"She's recognized the world over as a music superstar but she should be equally credited as a champion for children's literacy," Birnbaum said.

Dolly Parton started the Imagination Library program in 1996 to give books away to preschoolers in her home county of Sevier, Tennessee.

Today over 250,000 preschoolers are enrolled in the program, in 566 counties across 36 states.

By the end of the year the Imagination Library will have given away an astounding 10 million books since it started a decade ago.

"We started the Library to help kids dream more, learn more, care more and be more," added Parton.

"By golly it's working, and I just know it's going to be a hit here in Canada too," she said.

The Imagination Library is run on a community basis, whereby local charitable partners work with Invest in Kids to bring the program to preschool children in their communities.

Thanks to the support of financial services firm Capital One, 600 newborns in four communities in New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Newfoundland are already enrolled in the program.

About Invest in Kids

Invest in Kids is a national charity dedicated to helping parents become the parents they want and need to be.

By translating the science of parenting and child development into engaging, easy-to-understand, relevant resources for parents and professionals, Invest in Kids aims to strengthen the parenting knowledge, skills and confidence of all those who touch the lives of our youngest children to ensure the healthy social, emotional and intellectual development of children from birth to age five.

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