More than 1,000 children in Union County run to their mailbox once a month to find their very own brand-new book from the Dolly Parton Imagination Library of Union County.
Sponsored by the United Way of Union County, the Imagination Library has mailed more than 103,000 books to children in the community since the program was started in 2011. The program is free to children under 5 years old.
For the last few years, the United Way has supported an annual fundraiser for the Imagination Library called Power of the Purse. The event included a purse auction and raised more than $9,000 in 2019.
The 2020 event was postponed in April due to COVID-19 restrictions. Alexis Alexander, executive director of the United Way of Union County, announced Wednesday the Power of the Purse will not be held this year and the committee will start planning for a bigger event in spring 2021.
“We appreciate the sponsors and everyone who advocates for this free book program that is so important for children here,” she said, “but restrictions in place are just not conducive for the fun event we want to have. We already had a lot of fabulous purses that were donated and we will hold them for next year, as well. So, we do have something to look forward to.”
Alexander added the event sponsorships will be held over for the event next year and that she has worked to apply for grants that will help cover the costs associated with the program that the fundraiser usually takes care of.
“We are fortunate to be part of a state association for the Imagination Library and get into a network that has emergency funding available,” she said.
The Union County Imagination Library was only one of a handful in the state in 2011 and now all 75 counties have some aspect of the book program. The United Way partners with other local organizations that help register children, such as ECCEL, FACT, Inc. and the Medical Center of South Arkansas’ Family Connects program. Registration for the program is free and can be done online at www.imaginationlibrary.com.