At the Community Foundation, we believe that fostering a love for reading from an early age is one of the greatest gifts we can give our community’s children. Through our commitment to early childhood literacy, we are proud to offer Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, a program that puts high-quality books into the hands of young readers across St. Joseph County. Access to books during the critical early years builds strong foundations for learning, imagination, and lifelong success.

Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library is a free book gifting program that mails an age-appropriate, high-quality book each month directly to a child’s home. Every child enrolled in the program — regardless of their family’s income — receives a new book from birth until their fifth birthday. Created by Dolly Parton to inspire a love of reading, the Imagination Library has delivered millions of books to children worldwide, and now, it’s available to families right here in our local communities.

Children from birth to age five who live in the following communities are eligible to register:

• Sturgis
• Constantine
• White Pigeon
• Colon
• Three Rivers

Registration is free and simple — ensuring that every young child in these areas has the opportunity to build their own personal library at home.

Registering for Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library is quick and easy!

Visit the link that corresponds to your community to enroll your child:

Sturgis: imaginationlibrary.com/usa/affiliate/MISTURGIS/

Constantine: imaginationlibrary.com/usa/affiliate/MICONSTANTINE/

White Pigeon: imaginationlibrary.com/usa/affiliate/MIWHITEPIGEON/

Colon: imaginationlibrary.com/usa/affiliate/MICOLON/

Three Rivers: imaginationlibrary.com/usa/affiliate/MIZIP49093/

Research shows that access to books in the home is a critical factor in early literacy development. Children who participate in Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library demonstrate stronger reading skills, improved school readiness, and a lifelong love of learning. In fact, national studies have found that Imagination Library participants are 28% more likely to be ready for kindergarten compared to children not enrolled. Anecdotal feedback from parents in St. Joseph County has been equally powerful — many have shared how excited their children are to receive their very own book in the mail each month, helping to create positive, joyful reading habits early on.

The Imagination Library program in St. Joseph County is made possible through the incredible support of our community partners. We are especially grateful to the Newell A. & Grace A. Franks Fund and the Constantine Youth Advisory Council Fund at the Sturgis Area Community Foundation, the Branch County Community Foundation, St. Joseph County United Way, the Great Start Collaborative of St. Joseph County, the Huss Project, Sturgis District Library, White Pigeon Township Library, and Constantine Township Library for their ongoing commitment to early childhood literacy.

Several partners play a vital role in ensuring the program is available in each community: the Newell A. & Grace A. Franks Fund supports the Sturgis program, the Constantine Youth Advisory Council funds the Constantine program, the Branch County Community Foundation supports the Colon program, and the Great Start Collaborative of St. Joseph County funds the programs in Three Rivers and White Pigeon.

Through their collective support and dedication, we are able to mail hundreds of books each month to families across St. Joseph County. It is truly a team effort, and we are proud to collaborate with these organizations and individuals who share our passion for building a stronger, more literate community.