Black Hills Reads

06/12/2026

Over the spring, we opened applications for our 2026 Innovation Grant Awards.

Today, we’re excited to announce the recipients! Each organization listed here is using unique and innovative ways to expand young children’s access to books and literary resources throughout the Black Hills.

Thank you for your commitment to children’s education. We can’t wait to see your programs at work!

06/11/2026

School’s out, and a great way to make sure your child remains school-ready for next year is to keep them away from the summer slide! A great way to do that is through Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library. This special program provides a free monthly book for families of children up to five years old.

For more information, visit https://unitedwayblackhills.org/imagination-library-program/

06/08/2026

Through our partnership with Monument Health’s Well Child program, families are able to receive age-appropriate books and literacy resources during clinic visits.

Last year, Monument Health distributed over 1,300 literacy packets to children from birth to age 5! Of those, 360 packets included books and literacy materials from Black Hills Reads, as well as information about Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library.

We want to thank Monument Health for making early literacy a part of child caregiving for families throughout the Black Hills!

06/05/2026

After much dedication to our community of young learners, we’d like to share that Lisa Stanley will be stepping down from her role as the Early Education Project Manager with Black Hills Reads as of June 12th.

Lisa has been an asset to our work in supporting early literacy in the Black Hills and a valuable member of our team. We are so grateful for the passion and commitment she brought into this role and the impact she’s made on the communities we serve.

Please join us in thanking Lisa for her contributions to Black Hills Reads, and all the best in her future endeavors. You will be missed, Lisa!

06/04/2026

We’re hiring!

Passionate about early childhood and community impact? United Way of the Black Hills is seeking an Early Education Project Manager to support collaborative early literacy and early learning initiatives throughout the Black Hills, including Black Hills Reads. Find more information at: https://unitedwayblackhills.org/careers/

06/03/2026

We’ve made some exciting updates to our Baby’s First Book program! Now, eligible families and caregivers can request a Baby’s First Book Bag directly through our registration form or by contacting our Early Education Director, Hanna Glissendorf ([email protected]).

For more information on this great program that supports families in building a home library for their children from birth to 3, visit https://unitedwayblackhills.org/babys-first-book-bag/

05/29/2026

Black Hills Reads is excited to be one of the participating organizations for Early Learner Custer’s 2026 Early Learning Summer Challenge! The event officially kicks off on Monday, June 1st. Families must complete at least 10 activities and turn in their completed sheets to the Custer Chamber or the Custer County Library by Saturday, August 15, 2026.
This multi-week event is a fun way to connect local families directly to events, activities, and resources in the Custer community!

We hope you’ll join us for these fun, family challenges this summer!

You can view the full list of activities, digital resources, and event instructions here: https://elcustersummerchallenge.my.canva.site/

05/29/2026

We're hiring! Passionate about early childhood and community impact? United Way of the Black Hills is seeking an Early Education Project Manager to support collaborative early literacy and early learning initiatives throughout the Black Hills, including Black Hills Reads. Find more information on our Careers Page.

Early Education Project Manager Job Summary: The Early Education Project Manager coordinates and supports community-based early education and literacy initiatives led by United Way of the Black Hills. This position works collaboratively with community partners, stakeholders, volunteers, and leadersh...

05/20/2026

This summer, keep your children's books in easy-to-reach and even "out-of-the-box" places like in your car, next to your child's bed, or even in the kitchen while they wait for dinner! ,

05/15/2026

Exciting news! Our 2026 Innovation Grant recipients will be notified shortly, and we can’t wait to share the important literacy work happening across our communities.
Check back here for updates. We’ll be highlighting their ideas, leaders, and impact soon!

For more information on our Innovation Grant Program, visit: https://unitedwayblackhills.org/black-hills-reads-grants/