Making a $4 Million Difference: Dollar General Literacy Foundation Provides Youth Literacy Grants to 960 Schools and Organizations

GOODLETTSVILLE, Tenn. - September 07, 2017 - This morning, the Dollar General Literacy Foundation awarded more than $4 million in grants to more than 960 schools, organizations and nonprofits to support youth literacy programs. Awarded annually at the academic school year’s inception, these grants help support teachers, schools and nonprofit organizations throughout the 44 states that Dollar General serves.

“Through our mission of Serving Others, we are excited to support literacy and education across the communities we call home,” said Todd Vasos, Dollar General’s chief executive officer. “We hope the Dollar General Literacy Foundation’s youth literacy grants help strengthen literacy programs, expand library collections, inspire a love of reading in students and make a distinct impact to enhance the lives of children.”

The Dollar General Literacy Foundation has awarded more than $140 million in grants to nonprofit organizations as part of its commitment to helping increase the literacy skills for individuals of all ages. Since its inception in 1993, the Dollar General Literacy Foundation has helped more than nine million individuals take their first steps toward literacy or continued education.

The Dollar General Literacy Foundation also supports individuals in the communities that Dollar General stores serve who may be interested in learning how to read, speak English or prepare for the high school equivalency test.  Referrals to a local organization that provides free literacy services are available online here or a postage-paid reply card that can be mailed in for information is available at the cash register of every Dollar General store.

A complete list of grant recipients may be found online at www.dgliteracy.org. Grant applications for the 2018 grant cycle to benefit adult, family, summer and youth literacy programs will be available on January 2, 2018. The Dollar General Literacy Foundation awards funds each year to nonprofit organizations, schools and libraries within a 20-mile radius of a Dollar General store or distribution center to support adult, family, summer and youth literacy programs.

For additional information, photographs or items to supplement a story, please visit the DG Newsroom, contact the Media Relations Department at 1-877-944-DGPR (3477) or via email at dgpr@dg.com.