$100,000 grant expands access to children’s books in Kentucky

Funding boosts Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library program statewide

FRANKFORT, Ky. (ABC 36 NEWS NOW) — First Lady Britainy Beshear, joined by state leaders, announced a $100,000 grant to Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library of Kentucky, increasing opportunities for children statewide to receive free books every month.

The funding, provided by the Kentucky Association of Health Plans, aims to make early literacy more accessible by covering printing and mailing costs.

“Dolly Parton’s dream is to put a book in the hands of every child,” said JC Morgan, state director of the Imagination Library. “And we’re just so grateful to the Kentucky Association of Health Plans for making that possible. $100,000 will go a long way towards the printing and the mailing of the books each month, so that parents all across Kentucky can get the books for absolutely free,” he said.

First Lady Beshear shared her excitement for the grant.

“So that check that we got to help give today, made sure that all those families in Kentucky continue to have that privilege of getting that free book from Dolly Parton,” said Beshear.

Officials say community members can to support the program through donations.