Flagler County residents have a new opportunity to support children’s literacy with the establishment of the Flagler County Early Literacy Endowment. Founded by local resident Linda Mahran in partnership with the Community Foundation and United Way of Volusia-Flagler Counties (CF/UWVFC), the goal of the endowment is to deliver free, age-appropriate books monthly to children from birth to age five, resulting in building early literacy habits, fostering a love of reading, and strengthening school readiness.
One of the programs the endowment will support is the local Dolly Parton Imagination Library program, which delivers books directly to enrolled children each month. Coordinated locally by the Early Learning Coalition, which raises donations and grant funding to cover monthly operating costs exceeding $6,000, the endowment aims to grow through donor gifts and investment earnings until it can fully cover those costs — eliminating dependence on year-to-year fundraising.
“The Flagler County Early Literacy Endowment was established to provide a financial tool to ensure the sustainability of the Dolly Parton Imagination Library for Flagler County,” said Mahran. “Supporting early literacy is important to me because of the impact literacy has on our community. Increasing reading at grade level by the end of third grade can positively impact the economy as students are more likely to graduate high school and be better prepared for the workforce. It has a multi-generational effect – literacy can help break poverty cycles.”
Mahran emphasized that investing in early literacy yields measurable, long-term benefits for the entire community, encouraging community members to support the initiative through annual giving or larger legacy and donor-directed contributions.
“Linda’s donation is an investment in children in Flagler County and a charge to the whole community to support literacy at the most basic levels. The funds granted from this Literacy Endowment will encourage families and uplift children for generations,” said Courtney Edgcomb, President and CEO of CF/UWVFC.
Mahran is calling on her community to help her make a positive impact on the Flagler Community.
“For those who are able to donate in a significant, meaningful way, please consider investing in the endowment,” Mahran added. “Please join me and invest in our children and impact our future.”
Give to support the Flagler County Early Literacy Endowment by visiting https://bit.ly/FlaglerLiteracy.
Leave a Reply