Dolly Parton's Imagination Library of Rochester has provided its 100,000th free book to a local child.
Dr. Matt Present, the Rochester chapter's founder; state Sen. Jeremy Cooney; and Eric Jay Rosser, superintendent of the Rochester City School District, presented the book to a preschooler on Tuesday at Flower City School 54.
"This 100,000-book milestone represents an informed act of faith in the potential of our community's youngest learners," Present said.
Cooney also announced that the current state budget includes $1 million for Imagination Libraries across the state, $49,000 of which is going to the Rochester program. And he said that he and others will be pushing for the state to provide $7 million for the program next year.
The Imagination Library provides a free, high-quality, age-appropriate book each month to children from birth through age 5. Families can sign up at rochesterimaginationlibrary.org.
