First Lady Maureen Braun on Tuesday hosted her second annual Indiana First Lady’s Breakfast and announced she has almost reached a goal to fund Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library of Indiana.
The breakfast supported the fundraising initiative, which launched in 2025 is now 90% of the way to its goal for funding cycle running from July 2025 through June 2027, a news release said.
“Books are more than just paper and ink; they’re a doorway for imagination and curiosity to enter your life,” she said. “Indiana’s childhood literacy rates are improving across the board, and students who had previously been left behind are now rising up. Mike and I are so proud of these accomplishments in education, and look forward to building on that progress.”
Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library in Indiana provides free, high-quality books each month to children from birth to age five, helping families build strong reading habits early in life.
The state budget previously funded the program serving 125,000 Hoosier children under then-Gov. Eric Holcomb but Gov. Mike Braun zeroed the two-year, $6 million appropriation when he came into office to save money.
Braun’s office didn’t provide the full fundraising goal or timeline for when the program would resume. Its first major donation of $500,000 came from CenterPoint Foundation last year.
The breakfast was held at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, and brought together community leaders, sponsors and supporters committed to expanding early childhood literacy opportunities for Hoosier children.
During her keynote address, the First Lady thanked supporters for their commitment to improving literacy. She also highlighted recent literacy gains across Indiana. From 2024 to 2025, the state’s literacy rate increased by nearly five percentage points — the largest increase in state history.
Mike Braun thanked supporters during the program and highlighted the First Lady’s leadership in advancing early childhood literacy.
“I like to remind people that Maureen was the first entrepreneur in our family,” he said. “She’s a skilled leader who brings people together, and it’s no surprise to me that her initiative with the Imagination Library has been such a success.”
Today, 87.3% of Indiana third grade students demonstrate proficient reading skills on the state’s IREAD assessment, and more than one-third of Indiana elementary schools have reached the state’s goal of 95% reading proficiency.
Indiana Capital Chronicle is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Indiana Capital Chronicle maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Niki Kelly for questions: info@indianacapitalchronicle.com.
