Campaign aims to support literacy programs

GOODLETTSVILLE, Tenn. — The Dollar General Literacy Foundation is launching a new campaign to support literacy and education programs in the United States.

The Yellow Glasses Project offers shoppers at more than 16,500 Dollar General stores the opportunity to purchase a pair of yellow sunglasses for $2, with 100% of the proceeds going to the foundation, which supports literacy and education programs in communities across the country.

“For over 27 years, the foundation has invested in programs that help increase access to educational instruction for individuals of all ages,” says Denine Torr, executive director for the Dollar General Literacy Foundation, in a July 22 press release announcing the campaign. “The Yellow Glasses Project is a fun and exciting way to elevate awareness about how literacy and education can help create brighter futures.”

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 supports national organizations that increase access to educational programming and that stimulate and enable innovation in the delivery of educational instruction such as the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy, XPRIZE Foundation, the American Libraries Association, Save the Children and Reading Is Fundamental.

The foundation says it awarded more than $13.8 million in fiscal 2019 to more than 1,800 organizations, serving more than 1.2 million individuals.

In addition to offering grant opportunities, the foundation has a student-referral program for individuals interested in learning to read, speak English or prepare for the high school equivalency exam.

Dollar General shoppers are being encouraged to support and engage with the foundation’s latest campaign by posting photos of themselves wearing their yellow glasses on social media.