“Hi everybody. This is Dolly.

“Before he passed away, my Daddy told me the Imagination Library was probably the most important thing I had ever done. I can’t tell you how much that meant to me because I created the Imagination Library as a tribute to my Daddy. He was the smartest man I have ever known but I know in my heart his inability to read probably kept him from fulfilling all of his dreams.

“Inspiring kids to love to read became my mission. In the beginning, my hope was simply to inspire the children in my home county but here we are today with a worldwide program that gives a book a month to well over 1 million children.

“Of course, I have not done this alone. The real heroes of our story are the thousands of local organizations who have embraced my dream and made it their own. They raise millions of dollars each year and wake up every day with a passion to make sure their kids have every opportunity to succeed.

“It’s been quite a journey but we have so much more left to do. I would love for your community to join our family so please take the time to explore our website. Let’s share this dream that all children should grow up in a home full of books.

“The first step is always the hardest, but you’ll never know unless you try…”

For USA donors, there are significant tax benefits, even if you don’t itemize, when you donate directly to a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization? You may be able to donate appreciated stock and not pay tax on the gain, or you may be able to give from your retirement accounts, such as an IRA, 401(k), etc., and not pay tax on the distribution, provided it is given directly to the charity. The rules are specific, so please ask your financial advisor to help you do this.