Dollar General Literacy Foundation Awards More Than $8.3 Million to More Than 1,000 Schools, Nonprofits and Literacy Organizations
Thu, 10 May 2018
Grants provide funding for adult, family and summer literacy programs
GOODLETTSVILLE, Tenn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
Today, the Dollar General Literacy Foundation awarded more than $8.3
million to more than 1,000 nonprofit organizations, libraries and
schools. The grants seek to support the Foundation’s commitment to
advancing adult, family and summer literacy programs throughout the
communities that Dollar General (NYSE: DG) serves.
“We are honored to fund literacy and education initiatives, which
support our mission of Serving Others,” said Todd Vasos,
Dollar General’s CEO. “The Dollar General Literacy Foundation is
celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2018 and a legacy of
helping people improve their lives through literacy and education.
Including the grants announced today, the Dollar General Literacy
Foundation has provided more than $154 million in funding to help more
than 10 million people. We believe these programs can have a positive
impact on the communities we serve and we look forward to continuing to
partner with organizations dedicated to making a difference in the lives
of millions of Americans.”
Grant recipients plan to use the awarded funds to promote literacy and
learning across a variety of programs including: promoting childhood
summer reading, helping adults learn to read and prepare for the high
school equivalency exam, and helping individuals to learn English. With
more than 35 million American adults reading at the lowest level of
literacy and 63 percent of fourth graders reading below a proficient
level, the Dollar General Literacy Foundation believes that these
targeted programs can deliver immediate and long-term impact.
The Dollar General Literacy Foundation is currently accepting
applications for youth literacy grants through Thursday, May 17, 2018.
Youth literacy grants support schools, public libraries and nonprofit
organizations in implementing new literacy efforts or expanding existing
ones. Funding can be used to purchase new technology, equipment, books,
materials or software to enhance literacy programs.
A complete list of today’s grant recipients and applications for youth
literacy grants are available online at www.dgliteracy.org.
Each year, the Dollar General Literacy Foundation awards funds to
nonprofit organizations, schools and libraries within a 20-mile radius
of a Dollar General store or distribution center to support adult,
family, summer and youth literacy programs. Through partnerships with
national literacy organizations like the Barbara Bush Foundation for
Family Literacy, XPRIZE Foundation and the American Libraries
Association, the Dollar General Literacy Foundation supports
organizations that increase access to educational programming, stimulate
and enable innovation in the delivery of educational instruction and
inspire a love of reading.
The Dollar General Literacy Foundation also offers a student referral
program for individuals interested in learning how to read, speak
English or prepare for the high school equivalency exam. Referrals to a
local organization that provides free literacy services are available
online here
or through referral cards found in the Learn to Read brochures that are
available at the cash register of every Dollar General store.
For additional information, photographs or items to supplement a story,
please visit the Dollar
General Newsroom or contact the Media Relations Department at
1-877-944-DGPR (3477) or via email at dgpr@dollargeneral.com.
About the Dollar General Literacy Foundation
The Dollar General Literacy Foundation is proud to support initiatives
that help others improve their lives through literacy and education.
Since 1993, the Foundation has awarded more than $154 million in grants
to nonprofit organizations, helping more than 10 million individuals
take their first steps toward literacy, a general education diploma or
English proficiency. To learn more about the Dollar General Literacy
Foundation, visit www.dgliteracy.org.
About Dollar General Corporation
Dollar General Corporation has been delivering value to shoppers for
more than 75 years. Dollar General helps shoppers Save time. Save money.
Every day!® by offering products that are frequently used and
replenished, such as food, snacks, health and beauty aids, cleaning
supplies, basic apparel, housewares and seasonal items at everyday low
prices in convenient neighborhood locations. Dollar General operated
14,609 stores in 44 states as of March 2, 2018. In addition to
high-quality, private brands, Dollar General sells products from
America's most-trusted brands such as Clorox, Energizer, Procter &
Gamble, Hanes, Coca-Cola, Mars, Unilever, Nestle, Kimberly-Clark,
Kellogg's, General Mills, and PepsiCo.
