HCCF's Ongoing Sponsorship of Dolly Parton's Imagination Library
Corydon, Ind. (March 7, 2025) – Dream More, Learn More, Care More, Be More. That was the slogan on bookmarks Harrison County Community Foundation (HCCF) provided the children of Harrison County during the five-year celebration of sponsoring Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library (DPIL). Twelve years later, that slogan is still a symbol of the impact DPIL has on the children of Harrison County. It represents the ability to dream big, the importance of lifelong learning, the compassion to care for others, and the confidence to become the best version of themselves.
Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library has had a significant impact in Harrison County, helping to provide children from birth to age five with a free, high-quality, age-appropriate book each month. The Foundation has been sponsoring the program since 2008, contributing to the distribution of over 313,000 books. With 1,881 current participants and 415 new sign-ups in 2024, the program continues to expand, with 65 percent of eligible children in the county enrolled, a notable achievement.
HCCF remains deeply committed to sustaining and expanding Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library program, now 17 years later, ensuring that children in Harrison County continue to receive the gift of books. This transformative initiative is made possible through a combination of community support, the generosity of local donors, and the funding provided by the Early Readers Fund, an endowment fund established by the Harrison County Community Foundation. Endowment funds are a way to support causes one is passionate about forever, starting with a gift placed in a set-aside fund held by the Foundation. The original and subsequent gifts are invested to generate additional, ongoing support for the fund’s chosen purpose, which in this case would be supporting the DPIL program in Harrison County.
Through the Early Readers Fund, the Foundation ensures a steady stream of resources to support the sponsorship cost of book distribution. On top of that, the HCCF Board of Directors approved a special 2:1 match to provide even more support for the Early Readers Fund for 2025, which supports DPIL and the children of Harrison County. The continued success of DPIL in Harrison County is a testament to the power of community collaboration, with HCCF, local families, and donors coming together to ignite a love for reading and learning in young children. With these combined efforts, HCCF can guarantee that this invaluable program will thrive for many years to come, enriching the lives of future generations.
“The Foundation is proud to have served Harrison County children for seventeen years through the Dolly Parton Imagination Library program, and we look forward to continuing our sponsorship of this important program. Thank you to donors who have supported the Early Readers Fund. I would encourage anyone passionate about this program to consider a donation to the Early Readers Fund,” said HCCF President & CEO, Julie Moorman.
To support the Early Readers Fund and the children of Harrison County, visit hccfindiana.org and click the donate button. To learn more about the process for donating, contact Michelle Dayvault, HCCF Director of Development, at michelled@hccfindiana.org or (812) 738-6668.
To register your child for DPIL, visit imaginationlibrary.com/check-availability/ and fill in you and your child’s information. To be eligible to receive books from DPIL, children must be five years of age or younger, need to be registered, and residents in any participating county, which includes Harrison County. Contact Dakota Benevidez, HCCF Office Manager, at dakotab@hccfindiana.org or (812) 738-6668, to learn more about eligibility and how to register your child for the Dolly Parton Imagination Library program.
Through the gift of books, DPIL has empowered countless children in not only Harrison County, but around the world, to explore new worlds, develop a love for reading, and imagine a future full of possibilities. As the program continues to grow in Harrison County, so does the positive influence it has on shaping the lives of the next generation, ensuring that each child not only dreams, but has the resources and support to achieve those dreams.