Press Release: Sanilac Imagination Library Announces Program Pause, Celebrates Impact
April 3, 2026
The Sanilac County Community Foundation is announcing that the Sanilac Imagination Library will be placed on an indefinite pause. This decision was not made lightly. Since 2020, the Community Foundation has served as the local affiliate of Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library and worked alongside many partners to bring this program to families across Sanilac County. At current funding levels, and with the continued and greatly appreciated support from our local schools, we were fortunate to be able to provide this program through the April 2026 book delivery, which will be the final mailing families receive under the current program.
The annual cost to operate this program locally is nearly $30,000, all of which must be raised and supported here in our community. While local schools and partners have contributed meaningfully each year, it is not sustainable for that responsibility to rest solely on those institutions. Long-term continuation would require a significantly funded endowment, likely in the range of several hundred thousand dollars, to ensure stability and long-term viability.
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Spark Imagination Through a Love of Reading!
The Sanilac County Community Foundation (SCCF) is proud to partner with The Dollywood Foundation as the local affiliate for Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library. Locally, our program is known as the Sanilac Imagination Library. Through this partnership, SCCF ensures enrolled children in Sanilac County, from birth through age five, receive an age-appropriate book mailed directly to their homes each month—completely free of charge. Register today to spark your child’s lifelong love of reading!
Registration is currently unavailable.
Donate to the Imagination Library of Sanilac County Fund
Your donation supports our efforts to get books in the hands of every Sanilac County child from birth to age 5. Help us increase childhood literacy!
Donate NowProgram Details
- Cost Per Book: The program costs SCCF approximately $2.50 for every book mailed.
- Enrollment Impact: With approximately 1,000 children enrolled, that’s 1,000 books mailed each month or 12,000 books annually, delivered to Sanilac County children at no cost to families.
- Annual Program Cost: This initiative costs SCCF around $2,500 per month or $30,000 per year to maintain.
- Endowment Needs: Currently, there is no endowment fund designated for the Sanilac Imagination Library. To ensure this program exists in perpetuity, SCCF would need to establish an Early Childhood Literacy Endowment Fund valued at $750,000.
What SCCF Provides
- Local fundraising efforts to cover the cost of books and mailings to enrolled children.
- Enrollment and promotion of the Sanilac Imagination Library within Sanilac County.
- Community engagement and partnership-building to support early childhood literacy and program awareness.
What SCCF Does Not Provide
- Book selection and procurement – This is managed by The Dollywood Foundation.
- Direct mailing and logistical services – The Dollywood Foundation handles the fulfillment and mailing of all books.
- Program branding and quality control – Managed exclusively by The Dollywood Foundation to ensure consistency and integrity worldwide.
For more information or to support the Sanilac Imagination Library, please contact us at info@sanilacfoundation.org or call (810) 648-3634.
