When J.L. Turner co-founded Dollar General he was functionally illiterate and had never completed a formal education. With that in mind, the company established the Dollar General Literacy Foundation in 1993 and in the past 25 years that foundation has helped more than 10 million individuals to take their first steps toward literacy or continued education.
This morning, two Allegan County schools were identified as being among 34 schools and other organizations in Michigan that will share in $67,000 in youth literacy grants this year with gifts ranging from $500 to $3,500 each.
The Fennville Elementary School received a grant for $2,700 and the Otsego Public Schools were given $1,500 in the latest round of Dollar General Literacy Foundation grants in Michigan and 43 other states served by the Dollar General retail chain.
The youth literacy grants provide financial funding to teachers, libraries and literacy organizations to support the successful academic year. The Kalamazoo Center for Youth & Community also garnered a grant for $2,000 and half a dozen Grand Rapids area schools and groups and one in Battle Creek also picked up grants in this round as the only others in Michigan’s Great Southwest. The other schools and organizations in Michigan winning grants were from elsewhere in the state.
Todd Vasos is CEO at Dollar General. He says, “The Dollar General Literacy Foundation is proud to be an ardent supporter of schools, libraries and nonprofit literacy organizations.” He adds, “Dollar General’s mission is Serving Others, and this commitment comes to life through Dollar General Literacy Foundation grants that will impact thousands of students across the country. Since its inception 25 years ago, the Dollar General Literacy Foundation has partnered with thousands of organizations focused on advancing the goals of literacy and education.”
Statewide grants are part of more than $3.4 million that the Dollar General Literacy Foundation awarded this morning. To date, the Dollar General Literacy Foundation has awarded more than $159 million in grants to schools, libraries and literacy organizations as part of its commitment to increase literacy skills for individuals of all ages.
Each year, the Dollar General Literacy Foundation awards funds to organizations located within a 20-mile radius of a Dollar General store or distribution center. Grant applications for 2019 youth, summer, family and adult literacy programs will be available on January 2, 2019.
The Dollar General Literacy Foundation supports initiatives that help others improve their lives through literacy and education. To learn more about the Dollar General Literacy Foundation, you can visit online at: www.dgliteracy.org.
