Dollar General Leads the Way in Community Giving With Historic Literacy Donation

Dollar General‘s Literacy Foundation has announced a record-setting, one-day donation of over $13.2 million to support adult, family, and summer reading programs across the United States.

In a press release, Dollar General revealed that these substantial grants will support more than 1,200 public schools, libraries, and nonprofit organizations in furthering their literacy programs. Also benefiting from the donation will be approximately 1.3 million individuals. 

There are multiple ways Dollar General helps its communities through this literacy program. The company awards critical funding to organizations that provide direct services to adults in need of literary assistance via adult education instruction, GED or high-school equivalency prep, and learning the English language. The foundation also awards grants to K-12 public school libraries that have incurred substantial damage or hardship.

The organization additionally provides Family Literacy Grants as well as assistance to schools, public libraries, and nonprofit organizations that help K-12 students who are below grade level or having trouble reading. These grants are for eligible institutions within a 15-mile radius of a Dollar General store or distribution center.

“For over 30 years, the Foundation has been investing in literacy and basic education programs in our hometown communities,” shared Denine Torr, executive director of the Dollar General Literacy Foundation. “Today’s grant announcement is a celebration of our unwavering commitment to student and teacher success. We are grateful to all the grant recipients for their commitment to advancing education and helping students thrive.”

The Foundation plans to announce its 2025 youth literacy grant recipients in August 2025. Applications for the 2026 grant cycle are currently scheduled to open in January 2026.  

Who Founded the Dollar General Literary Foundation and Why?

The Dollar General Literacy Foundation was established in 1993 by Cal Turner and Cal Turner Jr. to honor Dollar General’s co-founder, J.L. Turner. The company co-founder was the son of a farmer who had a third-grade education, and his descendants created the program to continue his legacy, as well as to support student literacy.

J.L. Turner founded a dry goods store in 1939 that would later become Dollar General. The business was originally called J.L. Turner and Son, started by James Luther Turner and his son Cal Turner in Scottsville, Kentucky. The first store under the name Dollar General opened in 1955 and introduced the idea of selling items for no more than one dollar.

The foundation honoring J.L. Turner’s memory thus far has raised over $254 million to libraries, adult literacy programs, and other organizations designed to educate and instill a love of reading. Additionally, the Foundation plans to launch its sixth annual The Yellow Glasses Project campaign on July 21, 2025, where customers can purchase yellow sunglasses at Dollar General stores for $2 each to benefit the DGLF.

These yellow glasses spread the word about the importance of literacy. While it’s a small donation, each purchase goes directly to the programs to help further educational efforts for those in need of assistance.