A 2-year-old community-funded program that helps preschool children get ready to read is reaching about 3,000 of Jackson County's 12,000 preschoolers. The Imagination Library provides preschoolers with a free book each month from birth to age 5.
The local Imagination Library receives funding only from the community.
A $70,000 grant from CMS Energy in 2008 jump-started the Jackson effort. CMS Energy's 2009 support included matching $30,000 in community donations.
Sponsors include the Jackson Community Foundation, the Hurst Foundation and the Jackson County Intermediate School District. The Vandercook Lake Lions Club was the first service group to make an annual pledge.
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Social enterprise, HandiConnect, wins the Audacious-Business Idea competition’s Doing Good category. The company is spearheaded by University of Otago entrepreneurship master’s student Nguyen Cam Van.