By admin 
EAU CLAIRE, Wis. (WEAU) – An Eau Claire-area nonprofit wants to extend its use of an early childhood reading program that provides children with free books.
“We see so many kids who love books and get so excited when they see books in the mail,” said Brian Doxsie, parent educator at Family Resource Center.
Located in Oakwood Mall, it has been helping families in the Chippewa Valley with resources for about 25 years.
That includes facilitating its own chapter of Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library.
“A child says: I love that book!” said Doxsie.
“But of course that costs money,” says Jennifer Eddy, director of Family Resource Center. “Some communities have the Imagination Library. But because they have limited resources, when those resources run out, the books stop.”
The program is funded until 2027 thanks to the Pablo Foundation. Eddy said the foundation has invested about $450,000 in the program, which launched in 2022 at the Family Resource Center.
When the money runs out, the center will stand on its own.
“We are now launching a campaign to reach a $1.6 million endowment, which will be enough to fund children’s books in perpetuity through the Imagination Library program, here in Eau Claire,” Eddy said.
The foundation has written a $50,000 check to help the nonprofit get started on its campaign.
“They also pay for experts to consult with us at the Family Resource Center to learn how to become self-sufficient,” Eddy said.
She’s a doctor. Eddy is also a mother.
“They didn’t have this program in Eau Claire when my child was little,” Eddy said.
She said this early development program is crucial to making children successful and can even help build community.
She said of the more than 5,000 children eligible for the program, only just over 2,000 are enrolled.
Eddy said the hope is to reach every child with the $1 million donation.
“The sooner we can get books into children’s hands, for families who may not have the resources to get books into children’s hands, the better off we will be,” says Doxsie.
In the spirit of sustaining the mission, the Family Resource Center also seeks to engage homeless children.
Eligibility for the program technically requires a home address.
This would effectively exclude homeless children.
However, Eddy said any books not used by the children participating in the program are donated to area homeless shelters.
If you would like to help with the efforts, more information can be found by clicking here.
You can also contact [email protected]
Donations can be emailed to:
FRC
4800 Golf Street
Suite 450 Eau Claire WI 54701
Write Imagination Library in the memo.
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