News & Updates
Soon after José Manuel and Julia Pérez became first-time parents, the COVID-19 pandemic turned the entire world upside down. Welcoming Evie to their world was a joy, but they felt isolated as first-time parents and shut off from resources. Not only did José Manuel and Julia feel anxious about keeping Evie safe, but they worried about the national baby formula shortage. Would they run out of formula before the shelves could be restocked? What if they purchased extra much formula, just in case, and inadvertently left another baby without nourishment?
It was a trying time for the pair, both mentally and physically. Maybe that’s why signing Evie up for Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library became such a welcome surprise. United Way of McLean County (UWMC) is the local affiliate for the program that sends registered children a free book every month from birth through age 5.
Month after month, Evie received her books in the mail, rooting and grounding her family in a warm, nurturing routine. Even when it felt like the whole world had stopped spinning, José Manuel and Julia were reminded there were many people out there who cared about the welfare of children.
“Over time, these books became more than just stories,” José Manuel muses. “They became a fun part of our family rhythm. We would later start supplementing routine trips to the Bloomington Public Library, where my now four year old daughter loves going.”
UWMC's partnership with Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library means that thousands of children just like Evie receive free books each month. Our innovative solution for childhood literacy helps little ones become early readers, who are then school-ready once they hit kindergarten.
For José Manuel, reading to his daughter has also provided him with an opportunity to be silly together, and he loves that reading together gives him and Julia a way to show Evie that it’s okay to laugh, ask questions, and share a good story together.
Now that Evie is four, she has a bookshelf full of stories that have helped her grow emotionally, intellectually, and imaginatively. José Manuel says she’s curious, expressive, and recognizes words on her own, thanks in large part to the reading the family does every night.
“Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library didn’t just give us books. It gave us a connection during a time when we really needed it most. It gave us a way to bond, to laugh, to learn, and to dream together,” José Manuel says.
Your UWMC partnership has played a major role in Evie’s love for reading! And for even more children just like Evie, who are becoming school-ready thanks to your financial gifts.
You’re not just putting books in mailboxes: you’re putting joy in homes… you’re empowering emotional intelligence… and you’re planting seeds for academic success that will grow for a lifetime.