News

Nov. 11, 2019:

Dolly Parton is having a moment this week and so is United Way of the Southern Tier’s “chapter” of Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library.

United Way of the Southern Tier began its affiliation with Imagination Library in summer 2018. The Imagination Library – which mails a book each month to a child from birth until just before they turn 5 – is a perfect fit for United Way of the Southern Tier’s and Southern Tier Kids on Track’s goal of getting all children ready for school and on the road to future success.

Families in Chemung and Steuben counties can register their young children for this free program on our website. More than 3,100 local children are already registered and receiving books each month. 

Many people assume Dolly Parton pays for the program, but that is incorrect. Gifts to United Way of the Southern Tier fund this program for children in Chemung and Steuben counties. 

To that end, United Way of the Southern Tier is taking part in a new fundraising event on Friday, Nov. 15, called “FLX Gives Day” in support of our chapter of Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library. 

A gift of $30 will pay for 12 books to be mailed to a local child for a year. 

This fundraiser is a one-day – 12 a.m. to 11:59 p.m. – online event, so gifts can only be made during that time on the FLX Gives site. 

We at United Way of the Southern Tier encourage you to donate during the following times as we are competing with other local non-profits on the FLX Gives Day site:
• Night Owl: The organization with the most unique number of donors from 12 a.m. to 6 a.m. Nov. 15 gets an additional $100 given to their organization.
• Afternoon Energizer: The first 20 gifts to non-profits through FLX Gives between 2-4 p.m. Nov. 15 will have an additional $50 given to their organization.
• Checkered Flag: The last 20 gifts to non-profits through FLX Gives, starting at 10 p.m. Nov. 15, will receive an additional $100 given to their organization.

Finally, if you’d like to help fundraise with us, please register today to be a peer-to-peer fundraiser on our FLX Gives page. 

You will get a customizable message that you can email to friends and family and/or post on social media encouraging donations. Your name will appear on the FLX Gives page along with how much your campaign raised. Click on “Fundraise” to start the process.