Since 2019, the Lyone Foundation has partnered with United Way Australia (UWA) to support Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library (DPIL), promoting early literacy among children in vulnerable communities. Over the past five and a half years, the Lyone Foundation has supported 1,840 children across locations in NSW, QLD, VIC and the NT, providing them with access to monthly book deliveries and associated programs. For the 23–24 financial year, the Foundation donated $100,000 to local communities and UWA’s operational support, with an additional $21,810 allocated to introduce more First Nations books into the program.

In 2024, DPIL celebrated its 11th anniversary in Australia, having reached an estimated 46,000 children nationwide that year alone. Over its journey, the program has supported more than 101,083 children and delivered an incredible 1.2 million books, leaving a lasting legacy of early literacy and a lifelong love of reading.

The Lyone Foundation’s contributions have had a profound impact on various communities:

• Wyong, NSW: 92 children benefited from integrated literacy and preschool readiness programs led by the Benevolent Society.
• Acacia Ridge, QLD: Continuing longstanding support, the program reached 92 children, enhancing kindergarten readiness through tailored interventions.
• South Cairns, QLD: Mission Australia’s Hambledon House Community Centre supported 46 children with literacy and social connectedness initiatives.
• Katherine, NT: The Katherine Isolated Children’s Service provided resources to 46 children in remote areas, including First Nations communities and small towns.

The introduction of First Nations books, in collaboration with publishers like Magabala Books and Yarn Strong Sista, added culturally rich titles like Our Bush Animals and Aussie Twos Like to…, enriching the program's offerings.

Recent research published in The Journal of Research in Childhood Education in April 2024 underscores DPIL's effectiveness, showing children in the program were read to more frequently and had access to more books than their peers.

The Lyone Foundation’s unwavering support has helped nurture early literacy and strengthen community ties, positively shaping young lives across Australia.