Will County’s Imagination Library gets $25,000 donation

The Imagination Library of Will County has received a $25,000 donation from an Elwood-based clean energy company.

The donation marks “a significant milestone” in bringing the free book-gifting program to Will County communities, the Will County Executive’s office said in a news release announcing the donation.

“Supporting Will County’s Imagination Library aligns perfectly with Jackson Generation’s commitment to education and community development. Providing children with access to books at an early age lays the foundation for lifelong learning and opportunity,” Larry Graves, vice president of Asset Management at J-POWER USA, said in the release.

Jackson Generation, located in Elwood, generates clean and reliable energy for Illinois and is owned by J-POWER USA and GULF Energy USA.

“We are proud to invest in programs that deliver meaningful, long-term impact for the communities we serve, and it is super enjoyable to engage in opportunities focused on our kids,” Graves said.

Jackson Generation joined a pop-up awareness event for the free book-mailing program at Joliet Public Library to present the donation.

They joined the Imagination Library of Will County volunteer team to share information with parents at a family story time event and give away free books to children who attended the program, according to the release.

The event was the first pop-up registration opportunity for parents since the program was launched by County Executive Jennifer Bertino-Tarrant and the Will County Center for Economic Development, in partnership with The Dollywood Foundation.

“We’re very grateful for Jackson Generation’s investment into Imagination Library, which will empower children throughout Will County to access the wonders of books,” Will County Executive Jennifer Bertino-Tarrant said in the release.

“This donation brings us a significant step closer to launching this transformative project. We look forward to hosting more events in our communities to raise awareness to local families,” she said.

The Imagination Library of Will County was announced in December 2024, launching a countywide fundraising campaign to bring the book-gifting program to Will County families.

Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library is the “preeminent early childhood book-gifting program in the world,” mailing free, age-appropriate books to children from birth to age 5, according to the release.

“Creating avenues for early literacy is key for long-term educational success,” Will County Center of Economic Development President and CEO Doug Pryor, said in the release. “We’ve very thankful to Jackson Generation for this investment in the Imagination Library of Will County, which will empower literacy for children throughout the county.”

The Imagination Library of Will County has set a fundraising goal of $150,000 to fully launch the program and to begin mailing monthly books to registered children.

Donations can be made online, including by sponsoring a child to receive one year of free books for $16, at willcountyimaginationlibrary.org.