Indiana first lady Maureen Braun said Tuesday she’s closing in on a fundraising goal to underscore the state’s contribution
More Top Picks Why Words Appear To Move On The Page When Reading
to entertainer Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library.At the Indiana First Lady’s Breakfast, which also funds the initiative, Maureen Braun said she’s raised about 90% of the unspecified goal.
The fundraising campaign, which began last year, spans the July 2025 to June 2027 state funding cycle, a release from Gov. Mike Braun’s office said.
It’s still unclear how or when the money will be earmarked for the Imagination Library, which provides a free book each month for every child under age 5 whose parents sign up.
Last year, the General Assembly cut a $6 million allocation for Parton’s free children’s book program from the proposed state budget. Gov. Braun backed the cutback. Former Gov. Eric Holcomb inserted the money in the 2023 state budget.
Shortly after Parton’s organization and libraries raised concerns last year, the governor appointed his wife to steer the philanthropic effort to raise money to cover the state’s costs for participation.
Meanwhile, libraries in Lake and Porter counties began raising money on their own to try to make up for the lost state funding.
Maureen Braun has said she’s a long-time proponent of literacy. “Books are more than just paper and ink; they’re a doorway for imagination and curiosity to enter your life,” she said at the breakfast.
She touted Indiana’s improving literacy rates, citing a 5-point increase from 2024 to 2025. About 87% of Indiana third-graders passed the IREAD literacy exam last year.
Gov. Braun praised his wife’s accomplishment.
“I like to remind people that Maureen was the first entrepreneur in our family,” he said. “She’s a skilled leader who brings people together, and it’s no surprise to me that her initiative with the Imagination Library has been such a success.”
During an August visit to the Gary Public Library and Cultural Center, Braun said she’s a long-time fan of Parton.
“Dolly knew what she was doing when she set it up. The more people involved, their heart and soul is in it,” Maureen Braun said during the Gary visit.
Participants at the Gary event celebrated a $250,000 donation from the Dean and Barbara White Family Foundation, which allowed libraries in Hammond, East Chicago, Gary and Lowell to participate in the program, launched in 1995 by the Dollywood Foundation.
The Lake County-based Legacy Foundation is also a fiscal partner that’s helping build sustainability for the program.
Carole Carlson is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.