Dollar General and the Dollar General Literacy Foundation Give $4.5 Million to Support Youth Literacy
Tue, 05 Oct 2021
Youth Literacy Grants and New DonorsChoose Partnership Will Support Teachers and Nonprofit Programs Working to Promote and Improve Childhood Literacy
GOODLETTSVILLE, Tenn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
Dollar General (NYSE: DG) and the Dollar General Literacy Foundation today announced a $4.5 million investment to support students, teachers and nonprofit organizations working to support and improve youth literacy across the country. The donations include more than $3 million in youth literacy grants from the Dollar General Literacy Foundation, a new $1.45 million partnership with education nonprofit DonorsChoose and a $50,000 donation to a local literacy nonprofit on World Teacher Day.
“At Dollar General, we’re committed to being here for what matters most to the communities we call home,” said Todd Vasos, Dollar General’s chief executive officer and Dollar General Literacy Foundation board member. “The urgency to support youth literacy has never been greater, and we are honored to support the teachers, school officials, library staff and a network of nonprofits working every day to ensure the next generation is able to build the skills necessary to thrive and achieve their ambitions.”
Youth Literacy Grants
The Dollar General Literacy Foundation’s more than $3 million in grants will support nearly 760 schools, libraries and nonprofit organizations across the 46 states in which Dollar General currently operates. More than 425,000 students nationwide are expected to be positively impacted by this funding through new and/or expanded literacy programs, and the purchase of technology, equipment, books, or materials to enhance reading programs. Visit DGliteracy.org for a complete list of grant recipients.
“The Dollar General Literacy Foundation has been proud to invest in literacy and education programs for nearly 30 years,” said Denine Torr, executive director of the Dollar General Literacy Foundation and vice president of corporate social responsibility at Dollar General. “As the educational landscape continues to shift, these funds will help increase access and resources for students, educators and communities dedicated to reading and learning.”
Today’s youth literacy announcement follows the Foundation’s historic and largest one-day donation of more than $10.5 million in May 2021 to support adult, family and summer literacy programs. Applications for the 2022 Dollar General Literacy Foundation grant cycle will be available at DGliteracy.org in January 2022.
DonorsChoose Partnership
Dollar General and the Dollar General Literacy Foundation’s partnership with DonorsChoose will fund $1.45 million in literacy projects posted by teachers on DonorsChoose.org. These funds will provide much-needed tools and resources in underserved schools where the vast majority of students receive Free or Reduced-Price Lunch (FRPL).
The new partnership was celebrated today on The Kelly Clarkson Showby recognizing World Teacher Day and surprising teacher Jennie Fitzkee with a $50,000 donation to Read Aloud West Virginia, a nonprofit that works to change the literacy culture in West Virginia.
Since August, the Dollar General Literacy Foundation has provided $450,000 in matching funds to teacher’s back-to-school literacy projects on DonorsChoose.org.
"Books can encourage a child to pursue their dreams, tap into their creativity and see their identity reflected in a story's characters. Our partnership with the Dollar General Literacy Foundation empowers teachers to create these experiences for their students at the onset of the new school year," said Charles Best, founder of DonorsChoose.
Dollar General and Literacy
Dollar General’s co-founder, J.L. Turner, was functionally illiterate and never completed a formal education. In 1993, J.L.’s grandson, Cal Turner, Jr., founded the Dollar General Literacy Foundation to honor him and support others’ educational journeys. Over the past 28 years, the Dollar General Literacy Foundation has donated more than $203 million to provide funding and resources to support literacy advancement and has helped more than 14.8 million individuals learn to read, prepare for the high school equivalency or learn English since its inception.
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 $203 million in grants to nonprofit organizations, helping more than 14.8 million individuals take their first steps toward literacy, a general education diploma or English proficiency. Each year, the Dollar General Literacy Foundation provides financial support to schools, nonprofit organizations and libraries within a 15-mile radius of Dollar General stores and distribution centers. To learn more about the Dollar General Literacy Foundation or apply for a literacy grant, visit www.dgliteracy.org.
About Dollar General Corporation
Dollar General Corporation has been delivering value to shoppers for more than 80 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 17,683 stores in 46 states as of July 30, 2021. 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. Learn more about Dollar General at www.dollargeneral.com.
