In 2013, the Heartland United Way initiated Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library so that every enrolled child from 0-5 years old in Hall, Hamilton, Howard and Merrick Counties would have the opportunity to have a library of their own before entering kindergarten.

Every month, children enrolled in the Imagination Library Program receive a free book in the mail until their fifth birthday. 

The books typically include questions and creative ways to encourage parents to participate in reading the books with their children. On the inside cover of the book, there are suggestions on how to begin reading the book, questions to ask while reading the story, and follow up questions after finishing the book. 

To learn more, or register a child in our local program, please visit https://www.heartlandunitedway.org/imagination-library 

Each ticket includes delicious samplings from bacon & brew vendors, a pork sandwich meal, live music from The Talbott Brothers, & the opportunity to bid on auction items!

With generous support from community donors, this program has remained free and without a wait-list for enrolled children in our four-county area. The program costs the United Way $30 per year for each child enrolled in the program. We currently serve over 3,000 children in the Imagination Library program. 

100% of the Imagination Bacon proceeds will go directly to cover the costs for purchasing and mailing the books each month to children birth to five enrolled in the Imagination Library program.

The goal is to provide every child with a library of their own 

before they start kindergarten and to engage 

(& encourage) parents to be their child’s best first teacher.