The gift of books for kids of prisoners? One that keeps on giving!

Interesting things happen when you put a couple of authors together. 

It gets even more interesting when both authors are from the same town, and both also have a history of serving churches as organists. 

Jan emailed me the other day to share information about a project that she and her husband love and support. It’s called Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library. 

In 1995, Dolly Parton launched this new program to benefit the children of her home county in East Tennessee. Dolly’s vision was to foster a love of reading among her county’s preschool children and their families by providing them with the gift of a specially selected book each month. The program caught fire…a fire that spread not only throughout this country, but four other nations as well. In this program, gift books are provided, free of charge, to children from birth to age five! 

Knowing that Jan loves our work and has a heart for prisoners, I asked her about the possibility of expanding the Dolly Parton program to children of incarcerated moms and dads. Jan pounced on it, and within days spoke to a regional director about the concept. That led to a meeting with those two women, along with HFP Executive Director Mark Hartman and me. 

It's going to happen! 

The four of us bonded on the topic and the goals immediately. Humanity for Prisoners, the only agency that spends all of its time helping incarcerated men and women in Michigan with their personal problems, has also advocated on behalf of the families of prisoners as well. Expanding into helping the kids of prisoners is a natural fit! 

Just imagine the possibility of explaining to a father or mother behind bars that we can help enroll their tiny tot in a program that provides a new book in the mail every month! And, at no charge! I should mention that the list of books not only includes titles of classics like The Little Engine That Could, but also books that include activities and fun things to do. And each book bears the name of the child on the cover! 

I’m already thinking about the ripple effect of this program among the incarcerated. Children visiting their mother or father in prison will be able to talk about the gift books. And, we know that some of our low-income and needy clients struggle, as adults, with reading ability. It’s a subtle way for them to improve, as well.

I'm already thinking that perhaps a program for kids of prisoners can be expanded nationwide! 

You’ll be hearing and reading a lot more about this project as representatives from Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library and Humanity for Prisoners work out the details. 

Meanwhile, Jan and I will keep on writing, keep on playing music, and keep on caring about people who live behind bars.  

And never underestimate where our thoughts and ideas might lead!



 

 

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