United Way Promotes Childhood Literacy In Danbury Area

DANBURY, Conn. -- United Way of Western Connecticut is launching a community outreach campaign, and a donated oil painting from award-winning Bridgewater artist Ed Little is the prize.

Four-year-old Elliott and his mother, Monet, visit with award-winning fine artist Ed Little in his art studio in Bridgewater and show him their favorite Imagination Library book, My Little Train by Satomi Ichikawa.
Photo Credit: *Contributed*

Cassandra Huerta

04/16/2015 4:50 a.m.

UWWC is conducting the Reading Stars contest, which runs through April 30, with public voting taking place thereafter to select the winner.

UWWC is looking for a winning photo of a child under the age of 5 who is enrolled in the Imagination Library program. The winning child becomes this year’s UWWC Reading Star and is awarded this donated oil painting.

When Little first heard of United Way’s Imagination Library program, he was intrigued. Growing up in England in the 1960s, books were too expensive for many and were coveted. When he immigrated to the U.S., he noticed bookstores were everywhere. Books cost much less. His children shared his love for books and would ask for them every Christmas as their main gift. So when he found out about the Imagination Library program, which has served more than 8,800 children in Western Connecticut, he was eager to lend his support.

One of the goals of this collaboration is to increase awareness of the Imagination Library program. In 2008, UWWC teamed up with The Dollywood Foundation to provide books to preschoolers across Western Connecticut through Imagination Library. The goal of this program is to ensure that all children (from birth to age 5) in the region — regardless of their socio-economic status — have access to quality reading materials and to encourage parents and caregivers to read with their children.

This program is now available in 10 communities across Western Connecticut, including Bethel, Bridgewater, Danbury, Kent, New Fairfield, New Milford, Newtown, Stamford, Warren and Washington. In March, UWWC announced a significant milestone with the 100,000th Imagination Library book delivered to a Danbury child. All families participating in Imagination Library are eligible for our Reading Stars contest.

To submit a photo of your child reading her favorite book and for more contest details, visit www.uwwesternct.org/ILReadingStar. At this website, you also have the opportunity to make a monetary donation.

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