Stellantis Foundation Joins Community Initiative with $25,000 Grant to Support Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library of Boone County
Boone County, IL — Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library of Boone County IL (DPIL BoCo) is proud to announce a generous $25,000 grant from The Stellantis Foundation.
Launched in 2025 as a countywide initiative facilitated by the Boone County Community Foundation in partnership with Belvidere School District 100 and North Boone School District 200, Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library provides high-quality, age-appropriate books mailed directly to children from birth to age five, at no cost to families and regardless of income. The program’s mission is to inspire a love of reading, promote early literacy, and give children the strongest possible start in life.
“With this donation to the Boone County Community Foundation, we are putting books directly into the hands of young readers,” said Christine Estereicher, President of the Stellantis Foundation. “This will enhance early educational resources for families and support long‑term community development.”
The $25,000 grant will support DPIL BoCo through a fund held at the Boone County Community Foundation. This fund helps ensure the long-term sustainability of the program, allowing it to continue serving families across the county for years to come.
“Thank you so much to the Stellantis Foundation for this incredible grant,” said Melissa Erickson, executive director of the Boone County Community Foundation. “We are truly grateful for their support and continued commitment to our community. By all of us working together, we are creating positive and lasting change.”
The Stellantis Foundation joins a growing group of supporters, whose financial giving allows ongoing efforts that increase enrollment and ensure that every eligible child in Boone County has the opportunity to participate.
Founded in 1995, Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library has grown into a global program, mailing more than 300 million books to children in the United States and around the world. Boone County is proud to be part of this international network dedicated to fostering early literacy and a lifelong love of reading.
Thank you to the organizations and individuals who make this program possible!
The Imagination Library is a book gifting program designed to inspire a love of reading in children from birth to age five. Once enrolled, children receive a free, high-quality, age-appropriate book delivered to their home every month—building their personal library and fostering a lifelong love of books.
To participate, families must live in a community that sponsors the program. And now, Boone County is working to become one of them!
We’re proud to share that Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library of Boone County, IL is an affiliate partner of the national program. Locally, this effort is facilitated by the Boone County Community Foundation, Belvidere School District 100, and North Boone School District 200. A very special thank you to Hamblock Ford, Build-a-bike, Peggy & Jack Wolf Trust Foundation, Belvidere Rotary, District 100 Foundation for Excellence, Zonta Club of Belvidere, North Boone School District Foundation, IOU Club, John & Candy Wolf Family Fund, Poplar Grove Lions, Belvidere Cosmos, Stellantis Foundation, and individual donors; Jeff & Marci Hartle, Liza Wolfe, and Joanne Carlson, Joe and Kristin Hamblock and family . Without their support and donations this would not be possible.
Inspire a love of reading today!
Every Gift Makes A Difference!
Thanks to a generous state match covering 50% of the cost, the program is more affordable to sustain:
- Just $1.30 per child per month
- Only $15.50 per child per year
- Or $77.50 per child for all five years
Boone County has an estimated 2,783 eligible children, yet we are currently the only county in the surrounding area without this program. That’s why we’ve established a fund dedicated solely to the Imagination Library, and we need your help to keep it growing.
Your donation ensures every child in Boone County has access to the joy of books—without ever being placed on a waiting list.
To support this life-changing program:
- Mail a check to:
Boone County Community Foundation – DPIL Boone County - Give online:
Visit our donation’s page and hit the donate button under the Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library Boone County IL description. - Questions?
Contact Melissa Erickson at merickson@boonecountycf.org or call 815-544-7231.