United Way Lower Eastern Shore Reminds Folks To Donate For Give Like Dolly Day

The day is meant to inspire people in the community to give like the late singer Dolly Parton, a philanthropist dedicated to improving children’s literacy.

Martin Hutchinson with United Way of the Lower Eastern Shore said, “It’s just a wonderful thing to be a part of, to honor her. And the idea that she had, you know, she doesn’t pay for the books. We pay for them. She provides them at a discounted rate and has a group of people that evaluate books, and there’s always new books that are coming out. She does a really good job. Her organization does a great job of finding excellent children’s books.”

The nonprofit has been a partner of Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library since 2012 and has provided free books to more than 7,300 children each month in Dorchester, Somerset, Wicomico and Worcester counties.

The program has expanded through United Way over the past few years. “Since 2023, in February of ’23, we have been partnered with TidalHealth so that every baby born in TidalHealth is enrolled automatically in the program before they leave the hospital, and that has been — it’s over 3,700 children since 2023 that we’ve enrolled at birth,” Hutchinson said.

Children 5 and younger receive a free book each month, so children enrolled soon after they are born can receive a total of 60 books.

Hutchinson said, “They take a book home from the hospital. We have a book in a bag that we give them. The first book that Dolly gives every child is ‘The Little Engine That Could,’ because that was her absolute favorite children’s book.”

“9/25 is a play on Dolly’s song ‘9 to 5,’ and it’s a worldwide day because Dolly was not just an American hero. She is a global hero because her program exists in countries all over the world. You can give any amount; $30 a year will cover the cost of one child for a whole year to be enrolled in the program,” Hutchinson said.