Mount Markham Elementary School Receives $3,000 Grant from the Dollar General Literacy Foundation

Mount Markham Elementary School Receives $3,000 Grant from the Dollar General Literacy Foundation

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Duffy’s Fit to Read after school program at Mount Markham Elementary School Receives $3,000 Grant from the Dollar General Literacy Foundation to Support Youth Literacy

Duffy’s Fit To Read After School Program– 9/10/16 —The Dollar General Literacy Foundation recently awarded the Duffy’s Fit to Read after School program at Mount Markham Elementary School a $3,000. Grant to support youth literacy.  This local grant is part of $4.5 million in youth literacy grants awarded to approximately 1,000 organizations across the 43 states that Dollar General serves. Given at the beginning of the academic school year, these grants are aimed at supporting teachers, schools and organizations with resources to strengthen and enhance literacy instruction.

Duffy’s Fit to Read after school program:

Duffy’s Fit To Read program is a high interest after school program that incorporates reading with fitness.  It is designed to allow children playtime, a healthy snack, a strategic reading lesson and high interest reading time.

After school the students go outside, weather permitting, or play in the gym for about 20 minutes.   The gym activities are structured so that everyone can participate in a fun and safe way.  After playing outside the children have a quick snack.  During the snack time the children participate in a 10 to 15 minute mini lesson on reading strategies that they can try out when they go to their reading groups.  Finally, the children go to read in small groups, or with another peer or adult.  During this time they get the chance to choose from our selection of Duffy books!  All of the students will tell you this is the best time because you can read and share what you have read.  The Duffy Fit To Read Program is an outstanding way to get our children involved in the gift of reading!

“By awarding these grants, the Dollar General Literacy Foundation is committed to making a meaningful impact in our local communities,” said Todd Vasos, Dollar General’s chief executive officer. “These grants provide funds to support youth literacy initiatives and educational programs throughout the communities we serve to ensure a successful academic year for students.”

Committed to helping increase the literacy skills of individuals of all ages, the Dollar General Literacy Foundation has awarded more than $127 million in grants to nonprofit organizations, helping nearly 7.9 million individuals take their first steps toward literacy or continued education since its inception in 1993.  The Dollar General Literacy Foundation awards grants 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, and summer and youth literacy programs.

The Dollar General Literacy Foundation also supports customers interested in learning how to read, speak English or prepare for the high school equivalency test.  At the cash register of every Dollar General store, customers may pick up a brochure with a postage-paid reply card that can be mailed in for a referral to a local organization that offers free literacy services.

Duffy’s Fit to Read is also sponsored by Books in Homes USA.  This is a nonprofit organization that helps children in need to aspire to be successful readers. Books in Homes USA is the community literacy ambassador and educational partner that help to inspire a love of reading. Books in Homes USA, Inc. addresses the problem of “booklessness”, by providing elementary school students, who are in need, with quality books of their own choosing to increase literacy skill development and promote a life-long “love of reading”. Strong, mutually responsive partnerships between private business, community organizations and school districts are facilitated to invest in the future­­­ by changing the present. Shared funding provides a “hand-up” not a “hand-out” philosophy for success.
About the Dollar General Literacy Foundation

The Dollar General Literacy Foundation is proud to support initiatives that help others improve their lives through literacy and education as part of the company’s mission of Serving Others for over 20 years.  Since its inception in 1993, the Dollar General Literacy Foundation has awarded more than $127 million in grants to nonprofit organizations; helping more than 7.9 million individuals take their first steps toward literacy or continued education. For more information about the Dollar General Literacy Foundation and its grant programs, visit www.dgliteracy.org.

About Dollar General Corporation

Dollar General Corporation has been delivering value to shoppers for over 75 years through its mission of Serving Others. Dollar General helps shoppers save time. Save money. Every day! ® By offering products that are frequently used and replenished, such as food, snacks, health and beauty aids, cleaning supplies, basic apparel, housewares and seasonal items at low everyday prices in convenient neighborhood locations. Dollar General operated 13,000 stores in 43 states as of August 13, 2016. In addition to high quality private brands, Dollar General sells products from America’s most-trusted manufacturers such as Clorox, Energizer, Procter & Gamble, Hanes, Coca-Cola, Mars, Unilever, Nestle, Kimberly-Clark, Kellogg’s, General Mills, and PepsiCo. For more information on Dollar General, please visit www.dollargeneral.com.