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Nov 29, 2023

Dollar General Literacy Foundation Reflects on Literacy Success Stories During its 30th Anniversary


Today, 43 million adults in the U.S. score at or below the lowest levels of literacy according to the Program for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC) and a recent study from the Dollar General Literacy Foundation’s found that 80% of those surveyed believe that low youth literacy is a problem in the country.

Celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, the Dollar General Literacy Foundation (DGLF) continues to invest in programs that help students learn to read and provide individuals with access to literary resources so they can pursue their educational goals and achieve their dreams. Over the last three decades, the DGLF has donated more than $238 million, which has supported more than 23,000 organizations, schools and libraries across the country and impacted nearly 20 million individuals.

“If you want to give somebody a gift that’s going to lift them up, give them the ability to read,” said Denine Torr, executive director of the DGLF.

While the Foundation takes pride in its impressive numbers, it is stories of individual learners that illustrate the Foundation’s true impact:

ZANIYAH’S STORY