Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library to launch in Grand Forks County on July 1

The Community Foundation of Grand Forks, East Grand Forks & Region is thrilled to announce that Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library will officially be available to children across Grand Forks County beginning July 1, marking a major milestone made possible by an outpouring of community support.
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As the Imagination Library’s local affiliate, the Community Foundation has helped lead a grassroots effort to raise $90,000 to launch the program. Once enrolled, children from birth to age five will receive a free, high-quality, age-appropriate book in the mail each month – regardless of family income or background.
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What began as a conversation has become a reality thanks to the collective commitment of Grand Forks County. Since July 2025, the Foundation and a small committee of volunteers have raised nearly $50,000 in donations and grants from more than two dozen local organizations and businesses, including foundational gifts from Scheels, Minnkota Power Cooperative, and the University of North Dakota. An additional $40,000 has been contributed by more than 55 individuals and private foundations who believe deeply in the power of early childhood literacy, led by a generous gift from Grand Forks’ Jim and Corinne Satrom.
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“The past year has shown us something truly special. Families across Grand Forks County are eager for opportunities like this, and the people of our county are equally eager to respond,” said Imagination Library Coordinator Kaylee Cusack, a volunteer with the Community Foundation. “This is, in every sense, the community’s Imagination Library. It’s been built by neighbors, businesses, and organizations all stepping forward to say our children matter.”

Reaching the $90,000 fundraising milestone allows the Community Foundation to begin enrolling children in the program this summer. However, organizers emphasize that sustaining the Imagination Library for years to come will require continued partnership and investment from across the county.
For just $35 of support, a single child can receive 12 books a year, helping to build a home library and foster a lifelong love of reading. With a goal of serving more than 3,000 children at peak enrollment, the program aims to raise approximately $100,000 annually.

“This is one of the most practical and powerful investments we can make in our region’s future,” said Community Foundation President and CEO Becca Baumbach. “When children enter kindergarten ready to learn, it changes the trajectory not only for that child, but for entire classrooms and school systems.”
Cusack added that the long-term benefits extend beyond the classroom. “Readers become leaders. The children who grow up with books in their homes are more likely to become the innovators, entrepreneurs, and public servants who will shape Grand Forks County in the years ahead,” she said. “This program is about planting those seeds now.”

Mark your calendar – online enrollment for Grand Forks County families will open July 1 at imaginationlibrary.com.  A community celebration is planned for Aug. 11 at the Grand Forks Public Library, with additional details to be announced. If you would like to learn more or donate, please visit gofoundation.org/dpil.

About Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library
Launched in 1995, Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library is the world’s leading early childhood book-gifting program. As the flagship initiative of The Dollywood Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, the Imagination Library has gifted more than 300 million free books to children across the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, and the Republic of Ireland.

Inspired by her own father’s struggles with literacy, Dolly created the Imagination Library to spark a lifelong love of reading and to inspire all children to Dream More, Learn More, Care More, and Be More. The program’s effectiveness has been extensively studied, with research consistently demonstrating positive impacts on early childhood development, kindergarten readiness, and family reading habits. For more information, please visit imaginationlibrary.com.

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