Some sweet news from Children’s of Alabama: little ones heading home from the hospital will now leave with a free book.
In honor of “Give Like Dolly Day,” Children’s of Alabama announced it will serve as an enrollment partner for Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library of Alabama. Through a new pilot program, children under 5 being discharged from any of the hospital’s 24 inpatient units will receive a copy of The Little Engine That Could, the Imagination Library’s welcome book, along with enrollment materials. The hospital hopes to expand the program to its clinics in the future.
“When we give a child a book, we are giving them more than pages and words. We are giving them the opportunity to learn, imagine and find comfort, no matter what challenges they may be facing,” said Jennifer Conway, director of Child Life and Education.
Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library of Alabama currently serves 124,000 children across all 67 Alabama counties and has mailed more than three million books since the statewide program launched in 2023.
“The hospital serves young children at such a critical moment in their lives, and to send them home with the gift of reading is such an impactful way to honor Dolly’s legacy,” said Kaelyn Christian, state director for Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library of Alabama.
“We are proud to celebrate Dolly’s legacy, and the positive impact reading can have on the lives of children and families,” said Chandler Bibb, chief development officer at Children’s.
To learn more about the Imagination Library, visit imaginationlibrary.com. To learn more about Children’s of Alabama, visit childrensal.org.
