All In Credit Union Awards $7,000 to the United Way of Southwest Alabama for the Dolly Parten’s Imagination
All In Credit Union awards United Way of Southwest Alabama (UWSWA) a $7,000 grant to help fund the Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library (DPIL) program. The grant is part of a larger donation of $100,000 being given back to the community to help nonprofits increase or expand their services. The UWSWA’s grant will fund a full year of books to 151 children who are currently registered to participate in the program.
For the past year, we have been working to ensure children who are registered or seeking enrollment in Imagination Library are able to have early access to books in their home. This access allows them to reach their full potential amongst their peers and in school,” said Vice President of Resource Development Justine Bixler. “We thank the staff and members of All In Credit Union’s Board of Directors for selecting United Way of Southwest Alabama for this grant; their impact will create sustainable change in the lives of children in our community.”
DPIL is a reading program for early childhood development in Choctaw County and seven eligible zips codes in Mobile County: 36509, 36582, 36587, 36605, 36610, 36615, and 36617. DPIL is designed to foster literacy and encourages the love of reading. Each month after a child is registered – until their fifth birthday – a carefully selected, age-appropriate book is sent to the child’s home.
UWSWA provides the books free of charge. Participating families saved an estimated $48,860. Families are also able to build in-home libraries of up to 60 books. Last year, 6,570 books were sent to 6,377 children in Mobile and Choctaw Counties. Since May 2014, UWSWA has provided 38,647 books to young children in the community.
Learning to read begins long before a child enters school. It begins when parents read to their children, buy their children books, and encourage their children to read. According to the National Adult Literacy Survey, children that have developed some basic literacy skills by the time they enter school are three to four times less likely to drop out in later years. Research has shown that reading and having books in the home creates richer literacy environments and improves attitudes and skills in children. Families in the DPIL read more often to their children, and this leads to the children being better prepared to learn in school.
About All In Credit Union
All In Credit Union is a full-service financial institution with $1.7 billion in assets. They provide personalized financial solutions to more than 134,000 members in Alabama and Florida. The organization and its employees are committed to enriching the lives of others by helping them reach their goals and achieve financial success. For more information, visit www.allincu.com.