Since 2009, Rotary International and Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library have partnered to provide books to preschool-aged children in communities of all sizes across the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom.

As avid sailors, my husband Dennis Wallace and I have explored the eastern Caribbean for years. Amid its beauty, we’ve also witnessed a deeper issue — a widespread literacy gap. Many adults read at only a fourth-grade level, making everyday life a challenge. And when parents struggle with reading, it’s difficult for them to support their children’s learning, creating a cycle that’s hard to break.