Here for What Matters: Partnering with Save the Children
Dec 13, 2023
How the Dollar General Literacy Foundation and Save the Children are helping children reach their full academic potential
Amid nationwide school closures in spring 2020, during which approximately 55 million school-age children were home during the day, the Dollar General Literacy Foundation (DGLF) sought new ways to support their continued education. Children throughout the country needed access to proper nutrition to keep their bellies full and minds growing, so the DGLF partnered with Save the Children – providing $2 million to support rural nutrition and learning programs.
And that was just the beginning. Since 2020, the partnership continues to flourish.
Dollar General recently honored Save the Children with the Because Kindness Matters Award, a designation created in partnership with Reader’s Digest to honor non-profit organizations making an impact on its hometown communities. The DGLF also awarded Save the Children a $1.7 million grant to continue its work helping children across the country open new doors to educational opportunities by providing digital book access, training and technical assistance to support the Rural Library Network and providing access to nutritious foods.
In total thus far, the DGLF has invested over $5 million in its partnership with Save the Children.
Learn more about students’ reading accomplishments stemming from support from the Dollar General Literacy Foundation and Save the Children:
When eight-year-old Annabell started second grade in southeastern Arkansas, she was reading at least a grade level below her peers. The combination of intermittent virtual learning during the pandemic in 2020 and lack of access to books and learning materials kept her from reaching her academic potential in first grade. Then, Annabell’s parents enrolled her in Save the Children’s afterschool program. With help of financial support from the DGLF, Save the Children’s efforts provide space and resources for students like Annabell to learn. “I learned how to become a better reader. I feel happy,” said Annabell, who dreams of becoming a veterinarian one day. She is now confidently reading at the appropriate grade level.
Nine-year-old Jayceon from South Carolina struggled with basic sight words and read at an unusually low level for a third grader. With the combination of Jayceon’s eagerness to learn and his participation in Save the Children’s programs, his academic skills and confidence continue to improve. Now, Jayceon’s new favorite thing is “learning,” he says. “Improving my reading is important.”
Conner is an energetic 9-year-old from Tennessee who learned to find excitement in reading. "I love reading nonfiction books! The more books you read, the better you get at reading,” he says. With the help of Save the Children’s afterschool and summer education programming, Conner now glows when scoring well on reading tests and requests to read more difficult books to push himself – a true testament to his growth!
To learn more about how DG is helping the communities it serves, visit hereforwhatmatters.com.