Here for What Matters for Teachers on International Day of Education

As an ardent supporter of literacy and education, Dollar General is committed to giving back to teachers who are helping the next generation of students achieve their dreams and reach their goals.

To celebrate International Day of Education on January 24, 2024, the Company is highlighting a few ways it is providing educators with needed classroom tools.

Donating Teacher Supply Kits

This month, Dollar General partnered with 3M to donate 1,000 teacher supply kits to Robertson County Schools in Tennessee to aid teachers’ return to school for the 2024 spring semester. Each kit consists of 15 different school supply products with a $150 total retail value. With this month’s donation, Dollar General has contributed more than 1,500 supply kits throughout the 2023-2024 school year to local schools across the country.

Partnering with PENCIL (Public Education Needs Community Involvement and Leadership)

Dollar General began its partnership with PENCIL in 1988 when the Company first partnered with Hattie Cotton Elementary School in Nashville, Tennessee to support local students and teachers. Today, DG employees regularly volunteer at the non-profit organization and the Company serves as presenting sponsor of the free teacher resource center, DG PENCIL Box. Metro Nashville Public School (MNPS) teachers can shop national supply brands, at no cost, to ensure the education of MNPS’s 86,000 students are not hindered by a lack of school supplies.

“Dollar General and PENCIL’s rich partnership began 35 years ago, and they have always given us an enthusiastic ‘Yes!’ when asked to invest in supporting Metro Nashville Public School students and teachers,” shared Christiane Buggs, PENCIL’s president and chief executive officer. “That generous investment in our work, particularly our literacy programs, has grown exponentially over the years in both resources and time. Dollar General employees regularly volunteer in their PENCIL Partner school, where they’ve focused on student literacy and teacher appreciation for decades and at our free teacher resource center, which bears the company’s name. As a former Metro teacher who relied on PENCIL for vital school supplies, I truly appreciate how Dollar General understands that access to these items enhances learning for students and teachers.”

In August 2023, DG received PENCIL’s Ingram Award which is presented each year to a community partner or volunteer who provides outstanding support and engagement to MNPS through PENCIL.


Discover Literacy

Discovery Education, the Dollar General Literacy Foundation (DGLF) and the National Afterschool Association teamed up in October 2022 to create Discover Literacy, an educational program designed to support the development of critical literacy skills in K-2 students. The platform offers teachers, students and caregivers access to a powerful suite of in-school and after-school digital resources at no cost.  

Most recently in October 2023, Discover Literacy presented a new five-part, no-cost professional learning video series, “Basics of Literacy” which addresses the critical areas of effective reading instruction as determined by the National Reading Panel Report.

“It is critical educators feel supported and equipped with high-quality literacy instructional materials,” said Denine Torr, executive director of the Dollar General Literacy Foundation. “We are proud to partner with Discovery Education and the National Afterschool Association to provide these free, research-based literacy resources to empower and uplift educators and students.”

Discover Literacy was also recently recognized as a finalist for “Best Literacy Solution” in the 2023 Excellence in Equity Awards.

Dollar General Literacy Foundation (DGLF) Grant Programs

Founded more than 30 years ago, the DGLF continually supports schools, libraries and non-profit organizations and their efforts to enhance quality classroom instruction, increase access to literacy programming, advance innovation and inspire the joy of reading through adult, family, youth and summer grants.

This month, the Foundation opened its 2024 spring grant application cycle for its adult, family and summer programs. Eligible applicants in Dollar General hometown communities that are helping individuals of all ages take their next steps toward a bright future through literacy and education can apply online here through February 15, 2024.

Applications for youth literacy grants will be open on March 7, 2024.