Imagination Library recieves grant from Hoffer Foundation

The United Way of Elgin has been awarded a $5,000 grant from the Hoffer Foundation for our Dolly Parton Imagination Library program. The Hoffer Foundation has been a supporter of the Imagination Library for the last two years. This award will provide approximately 165 kids with brand new age appropriate books this year.

The Hoffer Foundation was founded in November 1966, exclusively for charitable, religious, educational, and scientific giving to 501(c)3 organizations. Since the creation of the Hoffer Foundation, millions of dollars have been donated. Over the past 5 years, the Hoffer Foundation has annually donated between $275,000 – $300,000 to local, state, and industry specific organizations.

“We are very grateful that the family has renewed their investment in early learning for the Elgin area,” said Lynne Bosley, President of United Way of Elgin. “This grant will go a long way in providing children with their very own library and enabling them to start kindergarten on track and ready to learn.”

The Dolly Parton Imagination Library program was founded in Tennessee in 1996 by Dolly Parton. She wanted to ensure that all children in her home of Sevier County had regular access to high quality children’s books. In 2009, United Way of Elgin brought the program to the Elgin area. Program implementation is simple: each month, registered children receive a free, age appropriate book in the mail from birth until their fifth birthday. The program is open to all children regardless of parents’ financial status. To date, United Way of Elgin has enrolled over 6,900 children and sent over 147,000 books into six communities.

For more information on how to sign up your children, please visit www.uwelgin.org or call the office. The program is available to all children five years or younger who live in Elgin, South Elgin, Burlington, Hampshire, La Fox, or Pingree Grove.

If you would like more information, please contact the United Way office at (847) 741-2259 or e-mail Elissa Kojzarek at ekojzarek@uwelgin.org.