08/26/2026
Today, we are mourning the loss of Dolly Parton, whose music, generosity, imagination, and belief in the power of books changed the lives of millions of children.
It’s a strange time for this news to land. We’re just days away from bringing Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library to every child under five in Tustin, and this is not how we imagined sharing this news.
At the heart of both organizations is the belief that books should be accessible. A family doesn’t have to qualify based on income; they just sign up, and every month a book arrives at that child’s home with their name on it.
We’re still in shock, honestly. Dolly was a hero of ours because she didn’t just wish the world were kinder, she went and built something that made it kinder.
Her impact will live on forever, and I think the world would be a better place if more of us tried to be a little more like Dolly. Bringing this program to Tustin feels like a way of carrying that forward.
Soon there will be books with the names of Tustin’s youngest readers on them, showing up in mailboxes every month.
We can’t think of a better way to honor her than to keep the work going.
Dolly, we will always love you🤍📚
