Dolly Parton always admitted that growing up her family was "dirt poor." Her father, a tobacco farmer, paid the nurse who delivered her with a bag of oatmeal.
It's hard for many people to imagine this kind of poverty, but for thousands it's all too real. Now, Parton has revealed something else about her dad.
Her father was completely illiterate, though she admits that he was still "brilliant." Illiteracy can have lasting affects on the course of one's life, limiting a person's education, job prospects, and thus quality of life.
It's devastating to know that 1 in 4 Americans will never learn to read. That's 79.7 million people.
After seeing how it hurt her father, Parton is doing big things to change that illiteracy rate. Hopefully, no little girl will ever have to see her parent struggle with literacy again.
It takes one person with a big idea to change the life of a child. Stephen Ritz transformed his students lives with something as simple as a garden.
Parton chose to start a program called Imagination Library. Through this program, in 1,400 counties all over the United States, Canada, and Australia, children will receive free books.
Each time a mother gives birth, she will receive a free book, and children will get a free book each month until they are 5 years old.
Studies show that kids who have books in their home, regardless or race, class, or social status, will be more educated than those who don't.
See how Dolly impacted one little girl and her great grandmother below.
SHARE if you think every child's mind should be nurtured.
