United Way of Central Kansas (UWCK) is celebrating National Reading Month with a community campaign to support Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library locally.
The initiative, “30 Days. 30 Donors. 30 Children.”, aims to sponsor 30 local children during March. A $30 donation provides one child with 12 high-quality books mailed directly to their home over the course of a year.
Currently, 849 children are enrolled locally, with more than 60,000 books mailed in the region since 2012. For some families, the book that arrives each month may be one of the only books in the home. Nearly 500 Great Bend children are enrolled in Great Bend, with another 190 split between Ellinwood and Hoisington. Larned has 145 children enrolled, and Otis-Bison and Rozel have another 15 combined.
Each delivery is more than a reading opportunity — it’s a moment of connection. A child seeing their name on a package. A family reading together before bedtime. A simple routine that builds confidence, vocabulary, and school readiness.
“These books are still some of my kids’ favorites,” said Charell Owings, Executive Director of UWCK. “Two of them have aged out of the program, but we still read those same books — now they’re the ones reading to me. It shows how a small investment of just $30 a year can spark a lifelong love of reading.”
A recent global study found children in the program are 11 times more likely to be interested in books and significantly more engaged during shared reading.
When local children build strong reading skills early, our schools grow stronger, our workforce grows stronger, and our entire community benefits. Community members can sponsor a child at www.uwck.org/donate or by mailing a check to United Way of Central Kansas, PO Box 1742, Great Bend, KS 67530. Follow UWCK on Facebook to learn more about the initiative and track the progress.