Dolly Parton’s book program is expanding its reach in the United Kingdom, carrying on one of the music icon’s most prominent philanthropic efforts a month after her death.
Parton’s Imagination Library is expanding in London with £5 million, or $6.6 million, in new funding from Britain’s People’s Postcode Lottery, making more than 150,000 children eligible to receive a free book every month from birth until age 5. The program has already distributed more than 7 million books to children in the U.K. and more than 330 million worldwide since its founding.
The expansion comes as interest in Parton’s literacy program has surged since her death Aug. 25 at age 80. Roughly 350,000 children have signed up for the Imagination Library since Parton died, according to ABC News.
Parton founded Imagination Library in 1995 in her native Sevier County, Tennessee, inspired by her father, who could not read or write. The program later expanded across the United States and internationally, providing free, age-appropriate books to children regardless of family income.
The renewed attention to Parton’s legacy coincides with a broader push to commemorate the singer on Sept. 25 — or 9/25, a nod to her 1980 hit “9 to 5.”
State and local officials across the country have issued proclamations recognizing Friday as Dolly Parton Day or similar observances. California went further, becoming the first state to permanently establish Sept. 25 as Dolly Parton Day after Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-CA) signed bipartisan legislation earlier this month.
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In her home state, Gov. Bill Lee (R-TN) signed a proclamation declaring Friday as “Dolly Parton 9 to 5 Day.”
The recognitions have been paired with celebrations, including book drives, parades, and other events honoring her music and philanthropy. The Dollywood Foundation designated Sept. 25 as “Give Like Dolly Day,” encouraging donations to local Imagination Library programs to help continue Parton’s work.
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[ H/T Washington Examiner ]
