Thank you Consumers Energy for the Grant! The Lenawee Imagination Library will put it to good use.
“You can find magic wherever you look. Sit back and relax, all you need is a BOOK!”
~Dr. Suess
Consumers Energy has added a lot of magic through a $10,000 grant to the Lenawee Imagination Library, a program of Lenawee Community Foundation. This grant will support over 330 of Lenawee’s children to receive books each month for one year.
The Lenawee Imagination Library delivers a new, age-appropriate book each month to registered children ages zero to five, who live in Lenawee County or a Lenawee school district. The books are mailed directly to each child at his/her home from Dolly Parton’s Dollywood Foundation, where childhood literacy experts select the books, and a partnership with their printer greatly reduces the cost to the Lenawee Community Foundation.
The children get to keep these books, so a child registered at birth can accumulate a collection up to 60 books of their very own. Currently around 1,700 children in Lenawee County receive books each month.
Among registered families completing a survey about the Imagination Library, 100% agree or strongly agree that their children look forward to receiving the books, that receiving the books reminds them of the importance of reading to their children, and that they would recommend the Imagination Library to others. 97% agree or strongly agree that their child’s interest in books has increased, while 86% report that they read more to their children since receiving the books.
Individuals, foundations, and service clubs have been generous donors sponsoring the cost of $30 per child, per year. Consumers Energy has made a major impact with $10,000 grants in 2013 and 2014, providing more than 8,000 books in our community and a lot of magic for Lenawee children.
Families love the Imagination Library, as evidenced from this recent email from Margie: “This program is a blessing. Eli just received Ladybug Girl and Bumblebee Boy, and we love it!”
For information about sponsoring or registering a child contact Lenawee Community Foundation at 423-1729, Contact Suann Hammersmith, or visit www.lenaweecf.com.
