By Lacey Mills
Who Knew Reno County
Every month, millions of children across the country receive a brand-new book in the mail with their name on it.
Right here in Reno County, more than 2,000 children are part of that experience. Through the Dolly Parton Imagination Library, funded locally by United Way of Reno County, children from birth to age 5 receive a free book every month delivered directly to their home.
It might be “The Little Engine That Could,” “Richard Scarry’s 100 First Words,” or “Look Out Kindergarten, Here I Come!” For the child opening it, it feels like a gift. For their parent or grandparent reading it aloud, it becomes something more: a moment of connection.
And for our community, it’s an investment in the future.
Today, more than 2,000 Reno County children are enrolled, representing about 61% of all eligible children in our community.
Since launching the program locally, we have mailed more than 24,000 books to Reno County children. From January through August of 2025 alone, nearly 15,000 books have already arrived in mailboxes across the county.
Each one matters.
Research tells us that 90% of brain development happens before age 5. Those early years are when language develops, curiosity grows, and the foundation for learning is built.
Before this program launched locally, kindergarten readiness assessments told a concerning story. About 52% of children in Reno County were not ready for kindergarten.
That means more than half of our children were starting school already behind.
Programs like the Dolly Parton Imagination Library help change that trajectory by making books a normal, joyful part of early childhood.
Reading together does more than build vocabulary. It builds relationships. It builds confidence. It builds imagination.
Access matters.
In some higher-income households, children may grow up with more than 300 books in their homes. In lower income communities, studies show there may be one book for every 300 children.
Through this program, we are helping close that gap one book at a time.
Today, more than 2,000 families in Reno County participate, including English speaking and bilingual households. Most families register online, but we also provide paper forms and community outreach to ensure that technology, language, or transportation barriers do not prevent children from receiving books.
The books are completely free for families.
The program is made possible by community support right here in Reno County. It costs about $16 per child per year to keep the program running locally, covering postage, outreach, and enrollment management.
That small investment delivers something powerful: a home where books are normal, reading is routine, and learning begins long before kindergarten.
After more than a decade in our community, we are now seeing many families enroll younger siblings who grow up surrounded by books that first arrived for an older brother or sister.
That is the kind of impact that lasts.
But there are still children in Reno County who are not enrolled yet.
If you have a child in your life from birth to age 5, I encourage you to sign them up. You can register and learn more by visiting UWRenoCounty.org and clicking on Dolly Parton under “Our Work.”
Because every child deserves the excitement of seeing their name on a book in the mailbox.
And sometimes the smallest delivery can make the biggest difference.
Lacey Mills is the executive director of United Way of Reno County and can be reached at lmills@uwrenocounty.org.