Dollar General Launches Its 50th Reading Revolution With a Surprise $50,000 Donation to Florida Elementary School
Wed, 27 Apr 2016
GOODLETTSVILLE, TN -- (Marketwired) -- 04/27/16 --
This morning, Dollar General (NYSE: DG) surprised a Punta Gorda, Florida elementary school with $50,000, launching the company's 50th Reading Revolution and marking the $2 million donation milestone of the program. Since its inception in 2013, Dollar General'sReading Revolutions
have made a meaningful impact across the communities it serves by helping approximately 34,000 students improve their lives through literacy and education.
"We are extremely excited to celebrate Dollar General's 50th Reading Revolution program today, as well as how the $2 million in donations through this program have positively impacted so many students' lives," said Todd Vasos, Dollar General's CEO. "We created the Reading Revolution program to not only embody our mission of Serving Others, but also provide an immediate and longstanding positive effect on students, schools and communities."
Dollar General representatives arrived at East Elementary School in Punta Gorda, Florida this morning, carrying a yellow and black box, and ready to start a revolution. After reading a few stories to students, Dollar General presented the box to school leaders who opened the box in front of a classroom of curious students and were elated to find a check for $50,000!
The Reading Revolution program aims to enhance students' reading and literacy programs. School administrators may use the Reading Revolution
funds at their discretion to best achieve this goal by purchasing books, technology programs, computers and/or other educational supplies or resources.
East Elementary School and the additional 49 recipients of the Reading Revolution
donations were chosen either because of strong community contributions to the Dollar General Literacy Foundation through the Cash Cube program at a nearby store, based on community need or their proximity to a Dollar General distribution center.
Dollar General plans to make donations to additional schools through its Reading Revolution program in various locations where it has a strong presence.
Dollar General's commitment to literacy and education is rooted through the Dollar General Literacy Foundation and the company's co-founder, J.L. Turner. Turner had a third-grade education and was functionally illiterate after dropping out of school to support his family. His grandson and former CEO, Cal Turner, Jr., founded the Dollar General Literacy Foundation in 1993. Since its inception 23 years ago, the Dollar General Literacy Foundation has awarded more than $120 million in grants to nonprofit organizations, helping more than 7.3 million individuals take their first steps toward literacy or continued education.
For additional information, photographs or items to supplement a story, please contact the Media Relations Department at 1-877-944-DGPR (3477) or via email at dgpr@dg.com.
About Dollar General Corporation
Dollar General Corporation has been delivering value to shoppers for over 75 years through its mission of Serving Others. 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 low everyday prices in convenient neighborhood locations. Dollar General operates 12,483 stores in 43 states as of January 29, 2016. In addition to high quality private brands, Dollar General sells products from America's most-trusted manufacturers such as Clorox, Energizer, Procter & Gamble, Hanes, Coca-Cola, Mars, Unilever, Nestle, Kimberly-Clark, Kellogg's, General Mills, and PepsiCo. For more information on Dollar General, please visit www.dollargeneral.com.
