The Jackson County Imagination Library (IL) was awarded the Upper Cumberland Electric Membership Corporation Cares (UCEMC Cares) grant of $2,000 this year. Governor’s Books from Birth Foundation (GBBF) was so proud to stand in for Jackson County IL to receive the check in August.
Tennessee’s Imagination Library program is made available to all birth to age five children in Tennessee through a unique, three-way partnership between GBBF, Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library and a local affiliate program in each of Tennessee’s 95 counties. Through an annual state grant from the Tennessee General Assembly and financial support from foundations and corporate sponsors, GBBF funds half of the cost of books and mailing for all 95 Imagination Library affiliates in Tennessee.
Jackson County Imagination Library is the local affiliate program, mailing age-appropriate books monthly to enrolled children from birth to age five in Jackson County, at no cost to families. In partnership with GBBF, Jackson County Imagination Library mails more than 380 books each month. The monthly program cost is split 50/50 between GBBF and Jackson County Imagination Library.
Created in 2006, Jackson County Imagination Library…
- Has mailed more than 45,087 books to children in the community
- Currently mails books to 69% of all children under age five living in the county
- Has had 931 five-year-olds graduate from the program.
With over 380 books now being mailed to enrolled children in the community, the monthly cost allocated to Jackson County Imagination Library exceeds $384.95, matched by GBBF.
Here’s how you can get involved locally:
- To volunteer or get involved, contact Rebekah Head, Jackson County Imagination Library Coordinator, at rhead1@utk.edu or (931) 268-9437.
- To donate online, go to https://www.governorsfoundation.org/give. Be sure to specify Jackson County to designate your donation to the local program.
- Enroll your child at https://www.governorsfoundation.org/enroll.
- For tips on reading with your child, visit https://www.governorsfoundation.org/engage/engage-with-your-child.
UCEMC Cares, Inc. is a state chartered, nonprofit corporation separate from Upper Cumberland Electric Membership Corporation (UCEMC). UCEMC rounds up the bills of members to the next highest dollar, and this extra change is used by UCEMC Cares, Inc. to assist qualified organizations and causes that serve the health, safety, civic and educational needs of their members. The funds raised from the UCEMC Cares program have a long-lasting, positive impact in the communities it serves.