Grant Description

Dolly Parton's Imagination Library continues to grow in New Mexico. "Just Imagine!" provides training and support to local affiliates who want to give children 0-4 the gifts of book ownership.

Tracking Metric

Description
The Imagination Library of Grant County is one of 2,200 local affiliates of Dolly Parton's Imagination Library. Each affiliate registers children to receive a free book each month, enters mailing information into the Dollywood Foundation's secure data base, and raises money to pay monthly book invoices. Since 2010 we've delivered over 117,000 books to babies, toddlers and preschoolers in Grant County. We've registered 80% of local children with the help of our partners. Research and parent surveys confirm that children benefit by becoming more interested in books, learning new vocabulary, spending more time with family members and scoring higher on reading proficiency tests. That's why we've grown the Imagination Library in New Mexico through our state expansion project, "Just Imagine!" With support from the FHL Foundation, we've advocated for partial state funding and offered financial support, 501c3 sponsorship and training for new affiliates. Since 2015, the number of children receiving books each month has more than tripled to include 13,452 children served by 35 active affiliates in 26 New Mexico counties. We've helped start affiliates in 14 counties and serve as fiscal sponsor for affiliates in Curry, Harding, and Eddy counties. We pay monthly book invoices for Quemado and Reserve School Districts in Catron County as well as Harding County. Our goal is to establish affiliates in the remaining 7 counties.

Goal
15,000