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In between winning and funding , country music legend Dolly Parton has built a massive that puts over 2 million free books in young children鈥檚 hands each month. 

Now literacy advocates in New York, where Parton鈥檚 Imagination Library is available in 79 locations, want Gov. Kathy Hochul to allocate funds to take the program statewide, reports . Legislation creating a state partnership with the program, like California Gov. Gavin Newsom , would ensure that books reach more children and lifts some of the financial burden off nonprofit organizations.

While Parton鈥檚 Dollywood Foundation covers overhead costs, it鈥檚 community organizations like the United Way that pay for postage and the actual costs of the books.

Twelve states currently contribute funds and have programs that reach all of their counties. Additionally, nine states are in the process of expanding their programs and one, New Mexico, will , according to Imagination Library. 

In August, Parton of the program in Tennessee, where it began almost 30 years ago.

In Ohio, a partnership state, the nonprofit Literacy Cooperative in Cleveland conducts an annual survey to measure the impact on families. 鈥淲e ask lots of questions, but what I zero in on is, ‘Does your child want to read more since getting these books?’ 鈥� CEO Robert Paponetti told , a local news site. 

鈥淭he overwhelming answer is yes.鈥�

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