Organization aims to get free books to 1,210 Barry County children

By Kyle Troutman [email protected]

Imagination Library, Barry County is overcoming a steep fundraising hill this fall, aiming to raise a total of $37,752 to fund free monthly books for 1,210 children across 11 ZIP codes.

Theresa Phillips, who started the local affiliate with the Dolly Parton Foundation program in 2021, said the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education took over the program in 2024, then alerted local affiliates this summer that funding has run dry.

Phillips said the state stopped accepting new registrations on July 1. State funding is expected to run out Dec. 1, making the final state-funded books those mailed that month.

Phillips said the local organization learned in May that there could be funding problems, but did not receive confirmation that it would need to take the program back until August. The organization signed a contract to resume responsibility in the middle to latter part of that month, leaving about three months to raise the money needed for 2027.

Phillips said they chose to pursue a full year of funding, rather than raise money month by month. The program requires at least six months of payment, and Phillips said securing the full amount by Dec. 1 would ensure children already enrolled in Barry County receive books throughout 2027. The program is open to children ages birth to 5, with age-appropriate books mailed to their homes each month.

The total annual cost for the children currently enrolled in the county is $37,752, divided among 11 ZIP codes. Each child’s books cost $31.20 per year, covering 12 monthly books.

For example, Phillips said Cassville has 320 enrolled children, requiring $9,984 annually to provide each with a book every month. Monett has 360 children enrolled.

“That’s a really good deal,” Phillips said of the annual cost per child, noting the expense of purchasing books individually.

Funding progress has varied by community. Phillips said Cassville has raised more than half of its needed amount, while the Thrifty Closet has provided funding for Shell Knob and Golden. The Eagle Rock Community Association sponsored the entire Eagle Rock ZIP code, and grants through Phil & Friends have provided support for Verona and Purdy. A donor ha also provided the remaining funding for Wheaton.

A $2,500 grant from BNSF Railway is being applied toward Monett, which currently has less than three months of funding available. Phillips said Monett will be a major focus of upcoming fundraising efforts.

Exeter, Washburn and Seligman currently have no designated funding, and Phillips said those communities need additional support. The organization is also working to fill smaller gaps between ZIP codes as donations come in.

A $2,000 Walmart Spark grant, secured by Philips for the first time, will support Cassville.

The Community Care Coalition has shifted its fundraising efforts toward the Imagination Library since learning it would resume responsibility for the program. Proceeds from its lemonade stand, a raffle at theCassville Chili & Salsa Cook-Off, and sales of color-your-own ducks, have been directed toward the book program.

Phillips said the coalition also has applied for several grants, including one through the Community Foundation of the Ozarks.

Other community efforts include a luncheon organized by the Cassville First United Methodist Church on Nov. 10. Roaring River State Park’s Festival of Trees will also feature an Angel Tree using donated antique Little Golden Books. Visitors will be able to purchase a book, with the proceeds going to the Imagination Library.

Individuals can donate to the Community Care Coalition and designate their contribution for the Imagination Library, including specifying which ZIP code should receive the funding. Phillips said some Walmart customers also support the program through the retailer’s Spark Roundup option.

People may also donate online at the Community Care Coalition website or the Imagination Library website. On the Imagination Library website, donors need to select MOBARRY as the recipient of the funds.

The Imagination Library, Barry County operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, making donations tax-deductible.

Phillips said donations will be sent to the Dollywood Foundation beginning in December, with funds designated for the appropriate ZIP codes. Because funding is tracked by ZIP code, a shortage in one area could affect how long children there continue receiving books, even if other areas have sufficient support.

“If for Monett we have three months’ worth of funding, they’ll get books for three months,” Phillips said. “If we can’t get the funding anywhere, then they’ll run out.”

The organization plans to reopen registration in early 2027 for children who have not been able to enroll since new registrations stopped in July. Phillips said the local program will review enrollment numbers after it takes effect in January, accounting for children who have aged out and anticipating new registrations.

Phillips said she hopes the community’s support will allow every eligible child in Barry County to continue receiving books.

“I just don’t want to see any of them go without,” she said.

Through her work with the program, Phillips said she has met parents and caregivers whose children have very few books at home. She said the monthly deliveries provide families with opportunities to read together, including older siblings reading to younger children.

“I see how happy they are when they get theirs, and it just means a lot to me,” she said.

Phillips said the organization is grateful for the response from residents and groups who have stepped forward to help.

“We’re just overwhelmed by everyone that wants to help,” she said. “It means a lot.”