Dollar General Literacy Foundation and Reading is Fundamental Surprise Alachua Schools With Grants and New Books
(As seen on Alachua Chronicle: Press release from Dollar General)
ALACHUA, Fla. – During National Library Week, the Dollar General Literacy Foundation (DGLF) and Reading is Fundamental (RIF) celebrated 20 years of partnership by surprising three Alachua schools with $60,000 in DGLF literacy grants and nearly 4,500 new books from RIF.
W.W. Irby Elementary School, High Springs Community School, and Alachua Elementary School each received $20,000, which may be used to purchase books, technology programs, computers, and other educational tools. More than 30 DG employees from local stores and the company’s Alachua distribution center, alongside the RIF team, helped students choose new books to add to their personal library collections and encourage their love of reading outside the classroom.
“The Dollar General Literacy Foundation is thrilled to celebrate more than two decades of partnership with Reading is Fundamental and our collective commitment to enhancing literacy and education in our hometown communities,” shared Denine Torr, Executive Director of the Dollar General Literacy Foundation. “We are proud to celebrate today, and during National Library Week, by helping enhance local literacy programs that open doorways to new opportunities and brighter futures for Alachua students.”
Since 2004, DGLF’s partnership with Reading Is Fundamental has empowered thousands of children to read, learn, and grow across the country. To date, the partnership has supported approximately 680,000 students through the distribution of more than 2.2 million books and literacy resources in Dollar General communities.
DGLF and RIF recognized the anniversary in Alachua to honor W.W. Irby Elementary School, High Springs Community School, and Alachua Elementary School, who have been partners of RIF’s flagship Books for Ownership (BFO) program since the partnership’s inception. The program annually supports more than 60 elementary schools, providing children with book choice and access.
DGLF was founded in 1993 and provides grant funding to support literacy and education initiatives serving individuals of all ages, funding nonprofit organizations, public schools, and libraries within a 15-mile radius of Dollar General stores and distribution centers across the country. Since inception, the Foundation has awarded more than $254 million through its adult, youth, family, and summer reading grant programs, enabling more than 21.8 million people to achieve their goals and pursue their dreams. Learn more about Dollar General Literacy Foundation’s grant programs here.