United Way of NE MN, Dollywood Foundation remain committed to Imagination Library

United Way of Northeastern Minnesota (UWNEMN) joins families, children, and music lovers across the world in mourning the loss of Dolly Parton.

The organization has particularly close ties to the iconic singer as the local affiliate of her Imagination Library program. UWNEMN has been operating the program, mailing books to children under age five at no cost to their families, in communities across the Iron Range, Koochiching County, and Lake of the Woods County since 2008.

“Imagination Library was our first step in transitioning from a fundraising model to a community impact model,” said UWNEMN Executive Director Erin Shay. “Dolly didn’t just inspire children to read; she showed our organization that we could operate our own programming.”