A first grader who completed the Imagination Library program in Charlotte County is now a reader leader in elementary school.
PROVIDED BY GAYLIN MORRIS, GILSTAD LITERACY FOUNDATION
PORT CHARLOTTE — Thanks to funding from local nonprofits, a Charlotte County affiliate of Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library can continue to support young children’s early literacy for free.
The Gilstad Literacy Foundation announced continued grant support from the Miriam P. Raines Charitable Fund at Gulf Coast Community Foundation Gulf Coast for the Charlotte County Imagination Library, a local affiliate of Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library.
The investment will help ensure that young children throughout Charlotte County continue receiving a free, high-quality, age-appropriate book delivered directly to their homes each month from birth until their fifth birthday, according to a news release.
By putting books into children’s hands during their most formative years, the CCIL helps support the development of early literacy skills needed for a successful start in school. It assists families with building home libraries and encourages both parents and caregivers to read together with their children.
“There is something incredibly special and impactful about a child receiving a book in the mail with their own name on it,” said Gaylin Morris, executive director of Gilstad Literacy Foundation. “That excitement opens the door to reading, conversation, imagination and precious time together as a family.”
According to an anonymous local parent participating in the program, their child — who is autistic and nonverbal — learns how to communicate and express himself through writing, reading and illustrations.
“It’s a blessing to see the spark in my baby’s eyes when they are reading and imagining through the books,” the parent said in the news release.
The CCCIL serves children from birth through age 5, providing families with books at no cost regardless of household income.
Each book is carefully selected to meet the developmental needs of young children and encourage a lifelong love of reading, the announcement stated.
“Every book that arrives in a child’s mailbox represents an opportunity,” said Shawn Gilstad, founder of Gilstad Literacy Foundation. “It is an opportunity for a parent and child to spend time together, for a child to discover something new, and for us as a community to help build a stronger foundation for that child’s future.”
The continued funding from the community foundation will help offset the costs associated with doing just that in Charlotte County — allowing the Gilstad Literacy Foundation to continue expanding its reach.
“Access to beautiful books and meaningful time to explore them as a family can make a lasting difference in a child’s early development,” said Jennifer Johnston, director of Community Leadership at Gulf Coast Community Foundation.