While her husband’s initiative is higher education, First Lady Crissy Haslam believes the sooner a child has a book in their hands, the better.
Crissy Haslam, wife of Gov. Bill Haslam, introduced the Governor’s ‘Books from Birth Foundation,’ a partnership between the Madison County Imagination Library and Jackson-Madison County General Hospital, which begins enrolling newborns into Tennessee’s Imagination Library program at birth.
Through this partnership- which was announced at the J. Walter Barnes Auditorium, Monday – each family of a newborn child at Jackson-Madison County General Hospital will be given the opportunity to enroll in Tennessee’s Imagination Library and begin receiving one book per month, which will be mailed to the child’s home until age five – at no cost to the family.
Madison County Imagination Library is the local Imagination Library affiliate program.
Created in 2005, Madison County Imagination Library has delivered more than 445,000 books to children in the community. Currently, 67 percent of all children under age five living in Madison County are enrolled in the program and receive books each month.
With 4,455 books now being mailed to enrolled children in the community, the monthly cost allocated to Madison County Imagination Library exceeds $4,480, which is matched by the Governor’s Books from Birth Foundation.
Crissy Haslam said each child enrolled in the program prior to hospital discharge, will receive a gift of the first Imagination Library book, The Little Engine That Could, as a tangible example of the program’s wonderful books that will arrive each month until the child reaches age five.
“In the first few years of life, a child’s brain builds 700 connections per second, representing a critical time for language development through exposure to books and reading,” Haslam said. “Thank you to West Tennessee Healthcare and Jackson-Madison County General Hospital for giving the families of West Tennessee the opportunity to experience the joy and benefits of reading with their children at birth.”
This local partnership was made possible by a grant from the West Tennessee Healthcare Foundation to launch enrollment at three West Tennessee Healthcare hospitals -Jackson-Madison County General Hospital, West Tennessee Healthcare North Hospital, West Tennessee Healthcare Dyersburg Hospital, and continued enrollment at West Tennessee Healthcare Volunteer Hospital in Martin, which launched in April 2017.
This grant will cover half of the cost of the program’s first book given out at each hospital.
Tennessee research shows that children who are enrolled in the Imagination Library program for longer periods of time are more likely to score higher on academic assessments through early grades.
This research also indicates students are more likely to have increased school attendance and less likely to be suspended.
“West Tennessee Healthcare is excited to partner with an early childhood literacy program that prepares children for lifelong learning through reading and families connecting around books” said James Ross, West Tennessee Healthcare Chief Executive Officer, “Sixty-three percent of these kids born at Jackson-Madison County General Hospital come from outside of Madson County.”
To volunteer or get involved, contact Lori Smith, Madison County Imagination Library Coordinator, at (731) 217-3357 or Lori.Smith@WTH.org. To donate online, visit https://www.governorsfoundation.org/give.
Be sure to specify Madison County to designate your donation to the local program. Enroll your child at https://www.governorsfoundation.org/enroll.
For tips on reading with your child, visit https://www.governorsfoundation.org/engage/engage-with-your-child
(PHOTO: Check presentation during partnership with Jackson-Madison County General Hospital to enroll newborns into Imagination Library)
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