Parents, guardians and caregivers in Ashland and Richland Counties can now register children, ages birth to five, to receive a free book every month through a partnership with Easterseals, The Dolly Parton Imagination Library and the Ohio Governor’s Office.
Leaders from Easterseals Central and Southeast Ohio met with Ohio Governor Mike DeWine and Ohio First Lady Fran DeWine about efforts to expand the Ohio Governor’s Imagination Library (OGIL) Program statewide. Leaders from Easterseals Central and Southeast Ohio, an affiliate of the OGIL Program sponsoring Ashland, Hocking, Gallia, Jackson, Pike, Richland, Scioto, Vinton and Meigs were happy to announce that the OGIL Program is now active in all 88 Ohio counties.
The OGIL Program, funded by the Ohio legislature for two years and in part by Molina Healthcare and other various partnerships, helps promote early childhood literacy in children from the time they are born until they turn 5 years old, by providing a new book to that child every month. The books are free to the child, with the state providing a dollar for dollar match with Easterseals Central and Southeast Ohio.
“I am so excited that as of today, all children who live in Richland and Ashland counties can now receive the benefits of the Ohio Governor’s Imagination Library!” said Ohio First Lady Fran Dewine. “We know that children who read succeed and this program will put more books in the hands of our little ones. I encourage all Richland and Ashland county families to enroll their children under five at www.OhioImaginationLibrary.org!”
