GOODLETTSVILLE, Tenn. — Dollar General, in partnership with Kellogg Co., plans to donate more than 100,000 new books to elementary schools across the country to help celebrate new DG store openings.

The program is in keeping with Dollar General’s mission of Serving Others by supporting literacy and education in the communities it calls home, the retailer said Tuesday. With each new store grand opening, Dollar General plans to donate 100 new books for students ranging from kindergarten to fifth grade to nearby elementary schools.

“Dollar General is proud to celebrate our new store openings by investing in the book collections of our local elementary school libraries,” said Denine Torr, Dollar General’s vice president of corporate social responsibility and philanthropy. “Books are critical for expanding vocabularies, building critical thinking skills and nourishing children’s imagination and creativity. We are grateful for our partnership with Kellogg Company in encouraging students’ lifelong love of reading by providing high-quality books to our hometown communities.”

Dollar General has a longstanding history of supporting literacy in the communities it calls home through its partnership with the Dollar General Literacy Foundation and corporate donations aimed at supporting various education initiatives. Since its founding in 1993, the Dollar General Literacy Foundation has awarded more than $186 million to support literacy and learning. In turn, these grants have enabled more than 12 million people to achieve their goals through the work of nearly 20,000 recipient organizations.

Additionally, the Dollar General Literacy Foundation is currently accepting grants for its 2021 Youth Literacy grant cycle through May 20, 2021 at 10 p.m. CT. The grants support efforts to implement, enhance or expand K-12 literacy instruction with a focus on increasing access for all students. Schools, libraries and nonprofit organizations within a 15-mile radius of a Dollar General store or distribution center with programs aimed at implementing or expanding youth literacy programs are encouraged to apply.