Chester County Library receives Dollar General Literacy Foundation grant

The Dollar General Literacy Foundation recently awarded the Chester County Library a $1,000 grant to support summer literacy in children and teens. This local grant is part of the Dollar General Literacy Foundation’s recent award of $10.5 million donation to support summer, family, and adult literacy programs, representing the organization’s largest one-day grant donation in its 29-year history.
Library director, Savannah Gilbert states, “This grant is making it possible for us to give a free book to up to 170 children and teens this summer. This is just one way that we can give back to our community while also promoting a love of reading and the library in the younger population of our community. This is the first time we have been able to offer something like this and thus far, our children and teens are very excited for this great opportunity.”
To receive a free book, children must attend at least four summer reading programs at the library between the months of June and July. For teens, at least two teen specific events must be attended. Participants receive a punch card at library events. Participants must keep up with their punch card and bring it with them to events. Once the minimum required punches signifying attendance at an event have been obtained, the punch card can be redeemed for a free book. There are 13 books to choose from ranging from a board book up to teen leveled books. As an additional incentive, if a child or teen attends a family program, their punch card will be entered upon redemption for a bundle of books.
The Chester County Library has expanded its programming to include family events, adult events, and teen events as well as our usual children’s events. For children, we have weekly story times where children will explore the “Oceans of Possibilities” by reading and learning about the ocean and ocean animals this summer and making crafts such as hanging jellyfish and shark suncatchers, and learning through hands-on activities what will sink or float. For teens, we are having a teen jeopardy tournament, Bermuda Triangle Escape Room, and craft day. Adults will have the opportunity to make their own green household cleaning products at the library, learn more about local job services available through the Career Van and hear great information at our monthly Alzheimer’s Association meetings. Families have the opportunity to join library staff on a “field trip” to Chickasaw State Park and Chester County Solid Waste but also come to the library for a map making night and BINGO tournament. For the full schedule of events, visit chestercountylibrary.net/events/summer-reading-program-2022/. 
For nearly 30 years, the Dollar General Literacy Foundation has been proud to invest in literacy and education programs in our hometown communities,” said Denine Torr, executive director of the Dollar General Literacy Foundation. “The recent and significant shifts in the educational landscape have made the Foundation’s mission more critically important. As we work to create access to high-quality instruction for all individuals, we share our gratitude for the educators who are working to uplift and empower others. We hope these funds will have a meaningful impact on students and teachers across the country and look forward to seeing the positive impact they have on learners.”
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, the Dollar General Literacy Foundation 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 at www.dgliteracy.org or through referral cards found in the Learn to Read brochures that are available at the cash register of every Dollar General store.
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. Since 1993, the Foundation has awarded more than $216 million in grants, helping more than 15.4 million individuals take their first steps toward literacy, a general education diploma or English proficiency. Cal Turner, Jr. founded the Dollar General Literacy Foundation to honor his grandfather and Dollar General’s co-founder, J.L. Turner, who was functionally illiterate having dropped out of school in the third grade to support his family. The Foundation aims to provide support to schools, libraries and nonprofit organizations that seek to improve adult, summer, youth and family literacy initiatives. To learn more about the Dollar General Literacy Foundation, visit www.dgliteracy.org.