A new community campaign called "Readers to Leaders" was introduced to the Volusia County School Board on Jan. 14 by members of the Daytona Regional Chamber, the Early Learning Coalition and business partners. The initiative aims to centralize and promote local early-literacy resources and to recruit business volunteers and donors.

Presenters from Leadership Daytona Class 43 said their goal is to connect existing programs — including the Early Learning Coalition’s supports, Dolly Parton's Imagination Library and local volunteer reading opportunities — so community members and companies can easily identify where to contribute time, talent or money. "There are a ton of great resources in our community that are already out there. As business partners, we think it's our role to be the bridge and connect resources," Devin Miller said.

Michelle Goldens and Daytona Regional Chamber representatives said the campaign will maintain a digital brochure (with a QR code) that the community can update in real time, and the Chamber will not request district funding. The brochure will indicate for each program whether the need is volunteer time, specific professional skills or financial support.

Speakers highlighted the Dolly Parton Imagination Library as a model program that delivers books to young children but said sponsorship costs have risen. "The cost used to be about $30 per child; it has increased to about $40," a presenter said, noting local fundraising supports continued participation. Presenters said Brown & Brown Insurance was matching donations during the rollout, and the Early Learning Coalition had seen a jump in volunteer inquiries after the outreach began.

Board members welcomed the campaign and asked how they could help; presenters asked the board to spread the word and share the digital brochure. The district said it will work with partners to promote the initiative on district channels.

The project organizers said the immediate aim is awareness and coordination — not creating a new program — and they encouraged businesses to consider small commitments of volunteer time or sponsorship to support early literacy across the county.