“You can never get enough books into the hands of children.”
— Dolly Parton
Dolly Parton was a country music legend, but she was also a philanthropist dedicated to giving children the opportunity to learn how to read. Inspired by her father, who could not read or write, she founded Imagination Library in 1995. The book-gifting nonprofit mails free, high-quality books to children from birth to age five, no matter their family’s income. Since its founding, Imagination Library has gifted more than 332 million books to children around the world.
Dolly’s commitment to putting books into the hands of children reflects a belief shared by educators, families, and communities everywhere: literacy creates opportunity. Indiana’s recent literacy gains are a reminder of what’s possible when communities invest in helping children become confident readers.
For the fifth consecutive year, Indiana’s early literacy rates have improved, now having surpassed pre-pandemic levels. Five years ago, nearly one in five third graders in Indiana could not read. Today, 88.7% are reading proficiently. Later in this newsletter, learn more about the supports and reforms that made this achievement possible.
Here’s what else is ahead in today’s newsletter:
📢 Team Update: Welcome Lily!
💌 Recent Grants from Glick Family Foundation to Seeds of Caring, The Cabaret, Indiana Repertory Theatre, and organizations supporting extreme weather relief efforts
🏡 Glick Housing Foundation Updates, including a recent acquisition and a feature on how residents are supported in meeting their basic needs
📖 Literacy Rates On The Rise
🏆 The 2026 Indiana Authors Awards
🫱🏾🫲🏾 Community Leadership Opportunity
🎥 Premiere: “Learning Hungry—Food Insecurity on Campus”
As always, we invite you to reply directly to this email with any questions, feedback, or ideas.
– Your Friends at Glick Philanthropies