Days after the death of the beloved actress and country singer, Dolly Parton's Imagination Library announced Thursday it is partnering with the Dr. Seuss Foundation to give free books each month to children from birth to age 5 in San Diego County.
With more than 170,000 children under age 5, San Diego County is the most populous county in the nation to offer the Imagination Library to every eligible child through a countywide program.
"Through the Imagination Library, Dolly Parton has made millions of books accessible to young children," said Katie Rast, CEO of the Dr. Seuss Foundation. "We are proud to honor Dolly's legacy by working in partnership with Dolly Parton's Imagination Library to ensure every young child in San Diego County can develop a lifelong love of reading."
Parton's Imagination Library has given more than 330 million free books to children since the program's inception in 1995. The Dr. Seuss Foundation — which supports early literacy efforts throughout San Diego County — will serve as the local program partner.
According to the foundation, the local effort is also backed by Senate Bill 1183, co-authored by then-Senate President pro Tempore Toni Atkins, D- San Diego, and Sen. Shannon Grove, R-Bakersfield, establishing a statewide Imagination Library program, paired with statewide funding that is used to match funds raised in each community.
"Dr. Seuss is to San Diego what Dolly Parton is to Tennessee — an iconic figure whose extraordinary imagination and generosity have inspired generations," Atkins said. "This historic partnership brings together the legacies of Ted and Audrey Geisel and Dolly Parton, three visionary philanthropists united by a profound belief in the power of books to transform a child's life.
"By joining forces, the Dr. Seuss Foundation and Dolly Parton's Imagination Library will put more books into the hands of more children and open the door to learning, opportunity and possibility for families throughout San Diego. I cannot imagine a more joyful or powerful partnership for our community."
Atkins is a board member of the Dollywood Foundation, which supports Parton's Imagination Library.
The Imagination Library expanded to California in 2023, with more than 6,000 local families expressing interest in the county program.
To be notified when San Diego County registration opens, visit the Imagination Library website's "Check Availability" page to sign up for a new program alert.
To donate, visit ImaginationLibrary.com and select the "Donate" button at the top of the page, then choose "SanDiegoCounty" to ensure your donation supports the local effort.
