I was told my local Imagination Library is closing because of lack of funds. Why doesn’t Dolly do something about this or just give them the money they need to keep this program going?

The Imagination Library is made possible through funding shared by Dolly Parton and local communities.  While Dolly and the Dollywood Foundation cover many overhead costs and administration needs, the local programs secure the funding for the cost of books and postage.

We partner with a local organization/affiliate that covers the book and mailing cost for a specific geographic area. All other administrative expenses (overhead, selection of books, database, publisher negotiations, and fulfillment of the over 2 million books mailed monthly into 5 countries) are covered by Dolly and the Foundation. By having the overhead expenses covered, all of the money raised locally goes straight back into the community and allows more children to receive books each month.   

We have additional information and an overview of this model on our website: https://imaginationlibrary.com/usa/.  If you have any additional questions or want to learn more about starting a program in your community, please visit our website.