PORTSMOUTH, Va. – Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library (DPIL) of Portsmouth is a book gifting program that mails age-appropriate, high-quality books to children from birth to age five, regardless of a family’s income, to inspire a love of books and reading. The books come with a letter from Dolly, reading tips and activities for families to engage with each book.

 

There are nearly 7,000 children in Portsmouth that need equitable access to books in their homes. ChainBreakers, Inc serves as the Local Program Partner for DPIL of Portsmouth. They are at the heart of this important work to put more books in the hands of children. ChainBreakers raises local funds and enrolls children in the community. Grants from Portsmouth United, the Friends of the Portsmouth Public Library, the Suffolk Foundation and private donors have helped to make this program possible in Portsmouth.

 

“Too many children are falling behind before they ever have a real chance to thrive,” said Dr. Rhonda Alexander, Founder and CEO of ChainBreakers. “Early literacy is foundational. Through this partnership with Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, we are putting books into homes, equipping families with tools to support learning, and helping change the trajectory of children’s lives in Portsmouth.”

 

There is a powerful public-private partnership between the Commonwealth of Virginia, The Dollywood Foundation, Virginia Department of Education, E3:Elevate Early Education, and Local Program Partners across Virginia. We work collectively to grow the Imagination Library and expand equitable access to books at a critical time in language and literacy development.

 

“Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library is a high-impact program that is science-backed and proven to improve literacy benchmarks, kindergarten readiness and third grade reading. 43% of Virginia’s children cannot read by third grade, we must pull every lever we can to help every child read and succeed in Virginia ,” said Lisa Howard, President and CEO of E3: Elevate Early Education Virginia.

 

There will be a community celebration and launch event on Saturday, April 25 from 10:00-4:00 at The Children’s Museum of Virginia hosted by E3: Elevate Early Education and ChainBreakers. All families that enroll in DPIL of Portsmouth will receive 4 free admissions to the Museum for the day.

 

As part of the launch, an interactive “micro-library” exhibit filled with Imagination Library books will be unveiled inside the Children’s Museum of Virginia. This will be a cozy and special place for children and families to read.  A stand-up Dolly with a QR code will help families quickly enroll in DPIL of Portsmouth. This exhibit was made possible by Amazon and other sponsors.

 

“This is about more than access to books — it’s about what those books make possible,” said Frances Knight Thompson, executive director of ChainBreakers. “When families have the tools to read together, it strengthens learning at home and creates new opportunities for children across our city. At ChainBreakers, we are committed to being a trusted, long-term partner for families — supporting early literacy, strengthening households, and helping build a stronger Portsmouth.”

 

ChainBreakers is now enrolling children birth to age five. Families can enroll at:

https://www.dpilofportsmouth.org

 

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About ChainBreakers, Inc.
ChainBreakers, Inc. is a Portsmouth-based nonprofit focused on early literacy and family support. The organization works to ensure children can read at grade level and families have access to nutritious food. Its programs include free book distribution for young children, phonics-based reading support for K–6 students, and food access initiatives for local families. For more information, visit chainbreakersinc.org.

 

About E3: Elevate Early Education

E3: Elevate Early Education + The E3 School raise awareness, advocate, and create innovative initiatives to give all children access to a quality education in Virginia. For more information, visit e3va.org and newe3school.org. E3 is the state partner for the Imagination Library.