hyc announcements

Local sites: 

Menominee County Sheriff’s Department

831 10th Avenue • Menominee, MI 49858

City of Menominee Police Department

2511 10th Street • Menominee, MI 49858

Marinette Sheriff’s Office

2161 University Dr• Marinette, WI 54143

Marinette Police Department

1905 Hall Ave • Marinette, WI 54143

Hannahville Tribal Police Department

W399 HIGHWAY US 2 & 41 • Harris, MI 49845

Annex Building

S904 US-41 • Stephenson, MI 49887

Niagara Police Department

1029 Roosevelt Rd• Niagara, WI 54151

Coleman Police Department

202 E Main St• Coleman, WI 54112

Crivitz Pharmacy

710 Main Ave• Crivitz, WI 5411

Press Release about the need of new sponsor:

"More than 700 children across Marinette County could stop receiving monthly books from Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library due to budget cuts. The only way to save this early literacy program is if a new sponsor steps forward, states Karianne Lesperance, Director of Prevention Services for the ISD and Healthy Youth Coalition of Marinette & Menominee Counties (HYC). 

“Imagination Library inspires an early love of reading and promotes bonding between the child and their parent or primary caregiver,” she said. “There is something special about a young child receiving their very own book in the mail each month.” The program fits well in HYC’s mission as research shows a link between early literacy rates and the decrease in substance abuse disorders later in life. 

Provided at no cost to families, the books are sent monthly direct to the child’s home address (child MUST be a Marinette County resident), from birth to the end of age 4, when children typically enter kindergarten. Each child potentially receives a 60-volume set of books beginning with ‘The Little Engine That Could’ and ending with ‘Look out Kindergarten, Here I Come!’ While Imagination Library offers the specially selected books at wholesale prices, it is up to community organizations to fund the program locally. The Menominee County Intermediate School District (ISD) houses the Healthy Youth Coalition and the Great Start Collaborative which includes the staff that currently administers the program for both Marinette and Menominee counties. 

The ISD and Menominee County Great Start Collaborative, a Michigan initiative, first began the program in 2008 for Menomonee County residents which was initially funded by the ISD and then later through Tri-County United Way and other grants and fundraisers. As the program grew in Menominee County, it was always disappointing to have to turn away Marinette County children as the program did not exist on the other side of the bridge. When HYC first looked at taking on the program for the Marinette County side, Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library staff estimated Marinette would enroll 125 children in its first year. “It skyrocketed beyond our expectations. We had more than 600 children enroll in one year. In fact, within 24 hours of just one Facebook post we saw 250 children enrolled,” said Lesperance. 

By 2018, the Tri-County Area United Way was providing financial backing for the early literacy program. This month, the United Way ended its support citing financial constraints. Currently, there are 720 children across Marinette County alone enrolled in the program. Registration was halted early this summer, and there are about 50 families on a waiting list. 

It costs approximately $30 per child annually. As the program stands now with those currently enrolled, without at least $20,000 in yearly funding the Imagination Library program will come to an end in Marinette County. Although the coalition is looking for a large funder to sustain the program, they are always accepting individual $30 donations to sponsor a child, for one year, from community members. 

“I’m thankful for the past support we’ve received from the United Way, and I know this was a difficult decision,” said Lesperance. “I hope we can find a new partner who is just as passionate about early childhood literacy and making a positive difference in our community.” 

To learn more, contact Karianne Lesperance at klesperance@mc-isd.org or call 906-863-5665 ext.1038."

Thanks to the PFS WI State Grant, the Superior Health Foundation, and the M&M Area Community Foundation we have been able to distribute over 1,200 medication lock boxes for FREE to area residents! Over 500 narcotic deactivation bags have also been given out at no-cost. Special thanks to our pharmacy partners (Crivitz Pharmacy, BAMC Pharmacy, CVS Pharmacy and Hannahville Health Center Pharmacy) for having campaign stations at their facilities! Most recently, we were at the Great Start Collaborative's "Family Fun Day" event on August 11th and were able to giveaway 40 more lock boxes!

Thank you to the Aurora Medical Center - Bay Area and the Provident Health Foundation for granting HYC the proceeds of their annual "Women, Wine and Wellness" event. We are so thankful to their committee for not only selecting us, but for all of the work they put into the event! The proceeds will go into our sustainability fund which helps support all of the activities we do. You can find a list of these in the "About Us" section. Thank you again, Aurora!