(Reposted from 10/14/15 Blog on Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library website)

Verizon presents Governor’s Books from Birth Foundation with a $40,000 check to help bring Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library to foster care children in Tennessee.

During the University of Tennessee game against the University of Georgia, the Pride of the Southland Marching Band paid tribute to Dolly Parton with a full halftime show dedicated to her. As if that wasn’t amazing enough, Verizon presented a $40,000 check to help further fund her Imagination Library in Tennessee. This incredible gift will help provide free, age-appropriate books to children living in foster care.

The Governor’s Books from Birth Foundation (GBBF) has been a longtime partner of Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library. In 2004, GBBF and Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library partnered to launch a statewide campaign to make free books available to all children throughout the state from the time they are born until they turn five years old. Today, along with Verizon’s continued support, that same partnership will provide Tennessee’s foster care children, under age five, with free, age-appropriate books. 

When asked about Verizon’s continued support, president of GBBF, Theresa Carl said,

“Verizon believes in our mission and has worked closely with us to ensure that all age-eligible children entering foster care in Tennessee receive books from Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library.”

This year marks the 10th anniversary of Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library being statewide in Tennessee thanks to partnerships like that of GBBF and our amazing program affiliates throughout the state. Together, we’ve mailed more than 24 million books to Tennessee children!  To date, Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library has mailed more than 72 million free books to children across the US, UK, CA and AU.