INDIANAPOLIS — Nearly six months after launching a statewide fundraising effort, Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library of Indiana has secured its first major private donation — a $500,000 gift from the CenterPoint Energy Foundation, marking a hopeful turning point for the beloved children’s literacy program.
The announcement came Wednesday at the Indiana State Library, where First Lady Maureen Braun, flanked by dozens of children and stacks of colorful picture books, shared her excitement about the campaign’s early success.
“Books are more than just paper and ink. They’re a doorway for imagination and curiosity to enter your life,” Braun said. “That’s why I am so excited to lead this initiative.”
A boost from CenterPoint
The CenterPoint Energy Foundation, the philanthropic arm of one of Indiana’s largest utility companies, made the $500,000 pledge — a milestone for a program that, despite widespread popularity, has faced uncertainty in state funding under the current administration.
“We are very happy to help Maureen and Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library to provide books — the very tools needed to ensure that Indiana has the young leaders of today, who will become more state leaders of tomorrow,” said June Deadrick, CenterPoint’s Vice President of Community Relations.
The donation will help deliver thousands of free, age-appropriate books to children from birth to age five, regardless of income — a mission at the core of the Imagination Library’s work.
A changing political backdrop
The program’s future in Indiana has been marked by political shifts. While former Governor Eric Holcomb championed a statewide expansion of the Imagination Library in 2023 — securing $6 million in public funding over two years — that support was pulled under Governor Mike Braun’s new administration.
Governor Braun, citing budget tightening, removed the allocation from the current state budget earlier this year. In response, he tapped his wife Maureen Braun to lead a privately funded campaign, tasking her with securing support through public-private partnerships.
Since launching the effort in April with the Indiana State Library and the Hoosier Hope Foundation — a nonprofit with loose ties to the governor’s campaign — the First Lady has hosted storytime events and book drives across the state to promote the cause.
The moment, the mission
At the announcement event, Braun read aloud “The Little Engine That Could”, one of her grandchildren’s favorite stories, and later signed copies to hand out to the young children in attendance.
Yet, despite the celebratory mood, officials declined to answer media questions, and no full fundraising total has been released. Whether additional major donors have stepped forward remains unclear.
Still, for local affiliates and families, the CenterPoint donation signals progress.
“We now have 96 local program partners across Indiana,” said Timberly Pierce, Director of North America for the Imagination Library. She expressed gratitude to the Indiana General Assembly and the State Library for helping launch the 2023 expansion.
What’s next?
The Imagination Library continues to enroll children and distribute books monthly. But as public dollars disappear, sustaining the program may depend on the success of Braun’s grassroots campaign.
For now, families can still sign up through participating local affiliates, and donations can be made through the Hoosier Hope Foundation.
As one child clutched their new book during Wednesday’s announcement, a line from “The Little Engine That Could” echoed from the podium: “I think I can, I think I can.”
