Sponsored Institutions - Stories

By Sabrina Poulin
Associate Director, Aquinas Literacy Center

July 1, 2024, Chicago – The Dollar General Literacy Foundation (DGLF) recently awarded Aquinas Literacy Center a $9,000 grant to support English language literacy. This local grant is a part of the Foundation’s more than $10.6 million donated to support adult, family, and summer literacy programs in the 48 states where Dollar General operates. 

“We believe individuals of all ages deserve access to a quality education, and the Dollar General Literacy Foundation is thrilled to support thousands of learners across the country as they enrich their lives with literacy and education,” said Denine Torr, Executive Director of the Dollar General Literacy Foundation. “This year’s spring grant cycle is equally exciting as we surpass impacting more than 20 million individuals. We hope these funds provide resources needed to positively change students’ lives, helping them to build a brighter future for themselves and generations to come.”

The Dollar General Literacy Foundation supports organizations that increase access to educational programming, stimulate and enable innovation in the delivery of educational instruction, and inspire a love of reading. Each year, DGLF awards funds to nonprofit organizations, schools, and libraries within a 15-mile radius of a Dollar General store or distribution center to support adult, family, summer, and youth literacy programs. 

The Foundation also offers a student referral program for individuals interested in learning how to read, speak English, or prepare for the high school equivalency exam. Referrals to a local organization that provides free literacy services are available online here or through referral cards found in the Learn to Read brochures that are available at the cash register of every Dollar General store.

Since 1996, Aquinas Literacy Center has offered individualized instruction in the English language to the adult immigrant population of McKinley Park and surrounding areas (Bridgeport, Back of the Yards, and Brighton Park) of Chicago. Through one-on-one tutoring, combined with independent computer learning and supplemental learning opportunities – conversation classes, book clubs, and writing workshops – learners are empowered to transform their lives by acquiring skills to become successful parents, productive workers, and responsible citizens.  

Since 1993, the Foundation has awarded more than $250 million in grants to nonprofit organizations, helping more than 21.5 million individuals take their first steps toward literacy, a general education diploma, or English proficiency. Learn more about the Dollar General Literacy Foundation or apply for a literacy grant.