FORT WAYNE, Ind. (ADAMS) – The Allen County Public Library (ACPL) says it has successfully reached its $100,000 fundraising goal for Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, a program dedicated to fostering early childhood literacy by providing free, age-appropriate books to children from birth to age five.
ACPL representatives released the following:
“This milestone reflects the generosity of our community, the trust they have in our library, and the value they place on nurturing a love of reading in our youngest neighbors,” said ACPL Executive Director Susan P. Baier. “With these funds, the library will be able to launch the Imagination Library program in the coming months, ensuring that children will begin receiving books in their homes even sooner than we’d hoped.”
With this funding in place, the ACPL is on track to accomplish one of its goals from its 2024-28 Strategic Plan “Allen County’s Window to Lifelong Learning and Discovery” in the first year of the plan. That goal aims to celebrate reading and learning by increasing focus on early literacy. This includes an action item dedicated to “exploring partnerships and offering support to increase in-home access to books, including…Imagination Library.”
“We are so pleased to be able to move quickly on this strategic project thanks to the generosity of our community and driven by the hard work of our Foundation and staff,” said Baier. “It means we will reach more children, more quickly, and at the most critical time to get books in their hands. Those early years are when we can really have an impact on their vocabulary, comprehension, and their love of learning. When children love books – there is no limit to what they can accomplish!”
The funds were raised from a combination of sources including donations from individuals, family foundations, social and civic organizations, businesses, library employees, and members of the Friends of the Library. The ACPL Foundation also stirred fundraising during the middle of the campaign with a generous $25,000 match from its own funds. A $5,000 gift from the employees at the Meijer on Dupont Rd. presented on October 14 pushed the campaign well over its goal.
Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library has distributed millions of books to children around the world, helping to create a foundation for literacy and a lifelong love of reading. In Allen County, the program already has a list of more than 1500 children awaiting the program. Upon launch, Allen County will join the other 87 Indiana counties who already host the program.
The $100,000 campaign will be matched by funding from Governor Eric Holcomb’s Next Level Agenda and will fund the first two years of the program. The program requires continued support and the community is invited to make donations HERE or by visiting any ACPL branch.
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