LANCASTER, Ohio –The Fairfield County Foundation recently approved a grant from the Terry A. McGhee/Sally J. Grimm Community Fund to co-sponsor Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library for FY 22 (July 1, 2021-June 30, 2022). Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library is a book gifting program that mails a free, high-quality book each month to children from birth to age five, no matter their family’s income. The United Way of Fairfield County has served as the local champion for the program in Fairfield County since 2012.
The grant will help cover the costs associated with raising local awareness, enrolling local children, and funding the wholesale cost of the books as well as the mailing expenses. There are more than 3,800 children participating from Fairfield County and nearly 286,000 across Ohio. As of April, 2021 Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library had gifted 157,781,836 books to children across the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia and the Republic of Ireland.
“We are thrilled to have the opportunity to partner with the United Way of Fairfield County to co-sponsor Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library in Fairfield County,” said Amy Eyman, Executive Director of the Fairfield County Foundation. “Thanks to Governor DeWine’s enthusiasm for the program, there has been a recent surge in enrollment and a greater need for local funding. We have provided grants in the past and are happy to increase our funding and support to help meet the demand for this wonderful program.”
Fairfield County families interested in signing up to receive free books for their children can enroll at ohioimaginationlibrary.org/home. For more information about supporting the local program, please contact the Fairfield County Foundation at 740/654-8451.
