Dollar General Makes Largest 1-Day Grant to Support Literacy Programs

The Dollar General Literacy Foundation has made its largest one-day grant donation in the organization’s 28-year history of more than $10.5 million to support literacy and education in the communities that Dollar General serves. Awarded to approximately 1,000 nonprofit organizations, libraries and schools, the funds aim to support summer, family and adult literacy programs and enrich the lives of nearly 900,000 individuals.

“We understand the meaningful impact that the Dollar General Literacy Foundation investments and grants can have on local schools, nonprofits and libraries, and we are pleased to provide our largest one-day grant award to serve additional students this year,” said Todd Vasos, Dollar General’s CEO and Dollar General Literacy Foundation board member. “Our support of communities’ educational advancements remains unwavering. We are proud to champion the positive work by each of today’s recipients and are happy to help individuals increase their potential and pursue their dreams of a better tomorrow through the power of education and literacy.”

A complete list of grant recipients is available online at www.dgliteracy.org. Grant recipients plan to use awarded funds to promote literacy and learning across a variety of programs, which include promoting childhood summer reading, helping adults learn to read and prepare for the high school equivalency exam, and helping individuals to learn English.

“For nearly 30 years, the Dollar General Literacy Foundation has been proud to invest in literacy and education programs in our hometown communities,” said Denine Torr, executive director of the Dollar General Literacy Foundation. “The recent and significant shifts in the educational landscape have made the foundation’s mission more critically important. As we work to create access to high-quality instruction for all individuals, we share our gratitude for the educators who are working to uplift and empower others. We hope these funds will have a meaningful impact on students and teachers across the country and look forward to seeing the positive impact they have on learners.”

The Dollar General Literacy Foundation is also currently accepting applications for youth literacy grants through May 20 until 10 p.m. CT. 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. Grant applications are available online. 

Each year, the Dollar General Literacy Foundation awards funds to nonprofit organizations, schools and libraries within a 15-mile radius of a Dollar General store or distribution center to support adult, family, summer and youth literacy programs. 

Further demonstrating its commitment to support literacy, Dollar General recently revealed that it will donate more than 100,000 new books to elementary schools across the country to help celebrate new store openings, in partnership with Battle Creek, Mich.-based food manufacturer Kellogg Co. With each new store grand opening, Dollar General will donate 100 new books for kindergarten through fifth-grade students at nearby elementary schools.

Goodlettsville, Tenn.-based Dollar General Corp. operates more than 17,000 stores in 46 states, employing approximately 140,000 associates. The company is No. 16 on The PG 100, Progressive Grocer’s 2020 list of the top food and consumables retailers in North America.