Warren Coalition seeks county funds to sustain Dolly Parton Imagination Library affiliate

Krista Shiflett, executive director of the Warren Coalition, told the Warren County Board of Supervisors at its working session that the coalition is asking the county for $6,250 to support Halo Read, the local affiliate of Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library. “Weserve birth to death in Warren County,” Shiflett said, and described Halo Read as a program that mails age-appropriate books each month to children from birth through their fifth birthday.

Shiflett said the program began in November 2020 and that, since inception, 667 children have received books and about 368 children were actively enrolled at the time of her presentation. “Dolly PartonImagination Library across the country has provides books to 1 in 7 children across The United States,” she said, explaining the national scope of the program and that the Warren affiliate serves only Warren County residents.

Shiflett laid out the costs: postage currently runs about $2.60 per book, and the program relies on a part-time program coordinator who handles registrations and outreach. She said the state will pay half the postage and that the coalitionasked the county for $6,250; if postage does not rise, remaining funds would be applied to the coordinatorsalary, which Shiflett said runs about $5,000 a year. “Iam not going to ask for more money than I need or more money than Iam going to spend,” she said.

Board members asked clarifying questions about the request and the coalitions budgeted ask; one supervisor confirmed the request amount and Shiflett confirmed the coalitions stated reliance on outreach and fairs to increase enrollment. No formal vote on the request was recorded in the transcript.

Shiflett closed by reiterating that Halo Read is free to families and that the coalition handles registration and local outreach for the program.