Dollar General to Donate 100K+ Books With Store Openings
Not only will Dollar General’s new store openings deliver value to shoppers, but they will now also support literacy and education for the communities in which they're located.
Dollar General, in partnership with Battle Creek, Mich.-based food manufacturer Kellogg Co., plans to donate more than 100,000 new books to elementary schools across the country to help celebrate new store openings. With each new store grand opening, Dollar General will donate 100 new books for kindergarten through fifth-grade students at nearby elementary schools.
Last December, Dollar General revealed that this year, it plans to open 1,050 stores, remodel 1,750 stores and relocate 100.
“Dollar General is proud to celebrate our new store openings by investing in the book collections of our local elementary school libraries,” said Denine Torr, the company’s VP of corporate social responsibility and philanthropy. “Books are critical for expanding vocabularies, building critical thinking skills, and nourishing children’s imagination and creativity. We are grateful for our partnership with Kellogg Co. in encouraging students’ lifelong love of reading by providing high-quality books to our hometown communities.”
Dollar General has a longstanding history of supporting literacy in the communities it calls home through its partnership with the Dollar General Literacy Foundation and corporate donations aimed at supporting various education initiatives. Since its founding in 1993, the Dollar General Literacy Foundation has awarded more than $186 million to support literacy and learning. These grants have enabled more than 12 million people to achieve their goals through the work of nearly 20,000 recipient organizations.
Additionally, the Dollar General Literacy Foundation is currently accepting grants for its 2021 Youth Literacy grant cycle until May 20. The grants support efforts to implement, enhance or expand K-12 literacy instruction, with a focus on increasing access for all students. Schools, libraries and nonprofit organizations within a 15-mile radius of a Dollar General store or distribution center, with programs aimed at implementing or expanding youth literacy programs, are encouraged to apply.
(If your company has similar community programs to Dollar General’s, be sure to enter the Progressive Grocer Impact Award program to be recognized for your efforts in serving others.)
Goodlettsville, Tennessee-based Dollar General operates more than 17,000 stores in 46 states, employing approximately 140,000 associates. The company is No. 16 on The PG 100, Progressive Grocer’s 2020 list of the top food and consumables retailers in North America.
