Indulge us for a moment and close your eyes and think back to when you were young. Do you remember being read to as a child? Do you recall your favorite book? We both can remember the excitement and anticipation a really good story could create; the sense of comfort and feeling special that one-on-one time with a caring adult helped instill. Books are the key to a whole new world when you are young, but most of all books provide the foundation for a lifetime of learning.
Why does this matter? For us it all comes down to the ABCs.
All children deserve to be prepared. Educators emphasize that reading with young children is one of the most important activities to prepare them for kindergarten.
Books are essential. The more reading material available in the home, the better students’ reading levels are likely to be.
Cost of children entering kindergarten in Minnesota unprepared is approximately $113 million annually.
Five years ago United Way started its Imagination Library Program. Each month children, from birth to their fifth birthday, enrolled in the program receive a free age appropriate book in the mail. Currently, more than 9,200 local children are participating in Imagination Library.
In celebration of the program’s 5th birthday we are chairing a special multi-year fundraising campaign. This campaign is designed to meet the current needs of the program and to prepare for future needs through establishment of an Imagination Library endowment. We invite you to make a special gift commitment (beyond your current gift support) to help create a bright future for children in Central Minnesota.
Please consider a gift of $70 for the next five years; $35 of your yearly gift would cover the cost of providing books for one child and the remaining portion of your gift would go into an endowment to provide books for children in future years. A five year commitment is important because children enrolled at birth are in the program for five years.
AnnElise Edeburn, mother of Theo, explains how Imagination Library has reminded her of the importance of family time, “Sometimes we lose sight of what children need. Imagination Library books remind people that what kids want is to have time with their parents – not to just sit next to them and watch TV but to interact with them.”
The Imagination Library program helps ensure that the ABCs of life
are covered. Please join us in celebrating Imagination Library’s 5th birthday and make your gift today! Either click the link below to give online or print out the pledge card and mail it back.
Sincerely,
Chris Stanz, Co-Chair
Debra Erickson, Co-Chair
P.S. For some children, Imagination Library books are the only books in their home! Click here to learn more about the program or enroll your child.
