Dolly Parton's beloved book program could expand across New Jersey
Lawmakers are seeking to have the New Jersey Department of Education allocate roughly $2 million toward the initiative.
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Following the death of country music icon and philanthropist Dolly Parton last month, a South Jersey lawmaker is pushing to bring her flagship literacy program to children across New Jersey.
Assemblyman Bill Moen is backing legislation that would establish statewide access to Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library. The flagship program mails a free, age-appropriate book every month to registered children from birth until age 5, regardless of family income.
To fund the expansion, Moen is seeking to have the New Jersey Department of Education allocate roughly $2 million toward the initiative.
Parton, who died last month at age 80, launched the Imagination Library in 1995 to foster a love of reading among young children. Globally, the organization donates more than 10 million books each year to children across the U.S., Canada, the UK, Australia, and Ireland.
Supporters say bringing the program to New Jersey would help bridge early childhood literacy gaps across the state while honoring the late cultural icon's enduring legacy.
