Istrouma Early Head Start to benefit from Imagination Library

Capital Area United Way, Women in Media and the Glen “Big Baby” Davis Foundation will launch the Imagination Library program for children enrolled at YWCA’s Istrouma Early Head Start on Friday morning. Imagination Library is a nationwide, early childhood literacy program started by Dolly Parton in her home state of Tennessee. The program provides free age-appropriate books to children age 5 and under on a monthly basis. United Way brought Imagination Library to St. Helena and West Feliciana parishes, Geismar and Donaldsonville in 2010, with financial support from Turner Industries, BASF, Entergy River Bend, Amerchol, the City of Greensburg, and Leadership Ascension. Women in Media is introducing Imagination Library to East Baton Rouge Parish, covering the cost and mailing of the books to all 50 children enrolled at Istrouma Early Head Start. Following the announcement Friday at 9:30 a.m., members from Women in Media’s networking organization will join Davis in reading to children. As part of United Way’s Make a Difference Day, more than 50 volunteers are slated to read in over 55 classrooms at 20 different childcare centers Friday morning. Learn more about the Capital Area United Way’s Imagination Library efforts here.