About the Pikes Peak Early Literacy Foundation
The Pikes Peak Early Literacy Foundation (Pikes Peak ELF) is a Colorado-incorporated, all-volunteer nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting early childhood literacy and ensuring that every young child in the Pikes Peak region has the opportunity to discover the joy of reading. We are currently awaiting recognition from the Internal Revenue Service as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
Keeping the Books Coming
We are thrilled to announce that the PPELF is in the process of assuming responsibility for Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library in El Paso and Teller counties!
When this beloved program faced the possibility of closure, we knew that thousands of local children and families stood to lose an invaluable resource. Early literacy is the foundation of a child’s future, and we couldn’t let this vital program disappear.
We stepped forward to help preserve the program and are working closely with our partners to ensure a smooth transition so that children throughout our community can continue receiving free, high-quality, age-appropriate books delivered directly to their homes every month.
Our Mission
Our mission is simple: To inspire a lifelong love of reading by putting books into the hands of young children, regardless of their family’s financial circumstances.
Through our partnership with Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, we support the delivery of free books to children from birth until their fifth birthday. We believe that every child deserves to grow up in a home filled with books, imagination, and opportunities to learn.
Our Vision for the Future
Our commitment extends beyond simply keeping the program operating. We envision expanding the Imagination Library throughout El Paso and Teller counties, with an ambitious goal of reaching 20,000 children across the Pikes Peak region.
We also recognize that long-term success requires a sustainable financial foundation. By building partnerships with local businesses, charitable foundations, civic organizations, and individual donors, we are working to establish lasting financial support that will keep books flowing to future generations of children.
A Community Effort
The Pikes Peak Early Literacy Foundation is operated entirely by volunteers who believe that investing in our youngest children is one of the most meaningful investments our community can make.
Although the State of Colorado provides substantial financial support for the Imagination Library, the program depends on local fundraising to cover its remaining costs.
We cannot do this alone. Our success depends on the generosity and involvement of individuals, families, businesses, and community organizations throughout the Pikes Peak region.
Together, we can do more than preserve a wonderful program. We can build a lasting legacy of literacy that benefits our children, our families, and our entire community.
One child. One book. Every month. A lifetime of possibilities.