Indiana First Lady Maureen Braun has kept a promise she made earlier this year and launched a fundraiser to help maintain Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library. The fundraiser was necessary because state leaders cut all funding for the Imagination Library, which distributes free books to children in all fifty states. Braun says she will work closely with Parton and state leaders to help the literacy program remain in the state for years to come.
Braun Announces Fundraiser
“Having books in the home helps children do better in school and will benefit them throughout their lives,” Braun said in a video launching the fundraising drive. Braun will be raising funds publicly and through private supporters.
“Reading opens up a world of imagination for kids, and having books in the home benefits children in school and throughout their lives,” Braun added. “I’m proud to champion this effort to keep Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library growing strong here in Indiana and to help Hoosier kids develop a lifelong love of reading.”
Gov. Mike Braun Cut Funding
Back in February, Braun’s husband, Gov. Mike Braun, and state leaders passed the state budget that cut the funding for Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library. The move drew heavy criticism. In 2023, $6 million over two years was approved by the Indiana General Assembly for the Imagination Library.
As the criticism grew about the funding cuts, the governor announced that his wife, the first lady, was stepping into the situation and would be leading a public-private partnership to raise funds to keep the Imagination Library up and running in Indiana.
Dollywood Foundation Responds
The First Lady says that she will be working with philanthropic organizations as well as state leaders to not only secure funding but also to raise awareness for Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library. The effort will also move to bolster the number of children in Indiana’s 92 counties who receive the free books to help and sustain the program for future generations.
“We are honored to work alongside First Lady Maureen Braun to bring the magic of books into more homes across Indiana,” said Jeff Conyers, president and vice chair of The Dollywood Foundation. “Her commitment to ensuring the success of Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library in Indiana gives us confidence that this program will flourish, reaching more families, inspiring more children, and building a brighter future for generations to come.”
Dolly Began Library To Honor Dad
Dolly has run the Imagination Library for 30 years now. She began the program to honor her illiterate dad. “Well, my dad, like so many country people, the hard-working people, especially in the rural areas, my dad never had a chance to go to school because he had to help make a living for the family. And so, Daddy couldn’t read and write, Dolly said back in 2019.
Imagination Launched In 1995
She shared that illiteracy was a source of embarrassment and frustration for her father. He was never able to read to his children or help them with their homework. Dolly launched the program in 1995 in Sevier County, Tennessee, which is where she was born and raised.
The Imagine Library received an immediate and positive response. Her father, who passed away in 2000, was able to watch his daughter’s program succeed, and he was so proud of her efforts. “It made me feel good in my heart that I could do something to make Daddy proud,” Dolly said.
