WEST CHESTER, PA — In a significant move to enhance early childhood literacy, the YMCA of Greater Brandywine (YGBW) has partnered with the Chester County Imagination Library, an affiliate of Dolly Parton’s renowned Imagination Library. This collaboration aims to provide free monthly book deliveries to children under five years old residing in Chester County, thus fostering a love for reading from an early age.
Families interested in participating can register online or at any YGBW branch. The initiative seeks to address the concerning statistic that nearly 70% of fourth graders in the United States read below the expected grade level, as highlighted by data from the Lucy Project. By improving literacy rates in preschoolers, the program aims to enhance their long-term educational and socio-economic outcomes, including high school graduation, employability, and health literacy.
Bertram L. Lawson II, President & CEO of YGBW, emphasized the initiative’s alignment with the YMCA’s broader mission. “Our partnership with the Chester County Imagination Library aligns with our mission to strengthen our community through Healthy Living, Youth Development, and Social Responsibility. Childhood literacy is a predictor of future outcomes – and we want to ensure that all children in our community are set up for success.”
Jan Michener, Executive Director of Arts Holding Hands and Hearts (AHHAH), announced the organization’s support in enrolling children into the program. “Arts Holding Hands and Hearts is excited to partner with the YMCA of Greater Brandywine to help enroll children in the Chester County Imagination Library. We know for children to succeed and thrive; it takes a village working together.”
This initiative, supported by AHHAH and the Justamere Foundation, represents a community-wide effort to lay a strong foundation for the future success of Chester County’s youngest residents.
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