Global Outreach Developments Receives $15,000 Grant from the Dollar General Literacy Foundation to Support Youth and Family Literacy

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Global Outreach Developments Receives $15,000 Grant from the Dollar General Literacy Foundation to Support Youth and Family Literacy

[Nashville, TN] – September 11th – The Dollar General Literacy Foundation (DGLF) recently awarded Global Outreach Developments Int’l a $5,000 and $10,000 grant to support youth and family literacy. The funds are a part of a record-setting, one-day donation in the Foundation’s history of more than $13.2 million to support adult, family, and summer literacy programs in the 48 states in which Dollar General operates.

Our CASE after-school and Immigrant and Refugee programs address urgent educational needs in Nashville by supporting both students and their parents. This grant from the Dollar General Literacy Foundation allows us to strengthen literacy development, job readiness, and family engagement across our seven after-school sites and through our adult ELL and family programming. Together, we are equipping youth and adults with the skills they need to thrive academically, socially, and professionally.

The CASE (Character & Skills Education) after-school program serves 140 at-risk youth across seven sites. Each day, students participate in 45 minutes of homework help or structured literacy activities such as podcasting, debates, reader’s theater, and student-published books. By this school year’s end, all seven sites will produce a podcast and a published book, 75% of students will report increased literacy confidence, and 60% are expected to advance at least one reading level.

Through this grant, our Immigrant and Refugee program will serve 70 youth and 30 adults, combining academic support, literacy development, and life skills for students with job readiness, financial literacy, and English language learning for parents. Families participate in parent-child education activities, field trips, and book tastings to promote reading together and strengthen family connections. Adults engage in year-round English classes, with 80% expected to make measurable progress in speaking, reading, writing, or listening. Parents also take part in job readiness and financial literacy seminars through Goodwill Industries’ Connecting Forward Program.

Key outcomes across these programs include:

75% of youth increasing confidence in reading, writing, or speaking.

60% of youth reading at least 10 books annually and advancing at least one literacy level.

80% of adults demonstrating measurable language proficiency gains.

90% of adults applying practical skills like completing forms and scheduling appointments.

60% of families participating in at least three family engagement events (such as book tastings, library visits, and educational field trips).

“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 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, DGLF 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 here or through referral cards found in the Learn to Read brochures that are available at the cash register of every Dollar General store.

The Foundation launched its sixth annual The Yellow Glasses Project campaign on July 21, 2025, in which customers can purchase yellow sunglasses at Dollar General stores for $2 each to benefit the DGLF.

About Global Outreach Developments Int’l

Global Outreach Developments International (G.O.D. Int’l) is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization established in 1996. Since then, we have expanded to serve communities locally and in four international regions: Latin America, East Africa, India, and Southeast Asia.

In Nashville, we serve immigrants and refugees through English classes, driver’s training, and family literacy initiatives. Youth benefit from afterschool programs, summer camps, and a youth jobs program. We also serve the older adult population by connecting them with youth through service and social interaction.

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 $271 million in grants to nonprofit organizations, helping more than 23 million individuals take their first steps toward literacy, a general education diploma or English proficiency. Each year, the Dollar General Literacy Foundation provides financial support to schools, nonprofit organizations and libraries within a 15-mile radius of Dollar General stores and distribution centers. To learn more about the Dollar General Literacy Foundation or apply for a literacy grant, visit www.dgliteracy.org.