The Dollar General Literacy Foundation (DGLF) recently awarded Lee University’s Center for English Language & Literacy (CELL) a $7,880 grant to support family literacy.  
 
“Our classes are full again with students learning to read and write in English,” said Dr. Christopher Blake, director of CELL and professor of TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) and linguistics. It is wonderful to see all of the families attending the program together. We are incredibly grateful for support from the Dollar General Literacy Foundation which helps to make all of this possible.” 

CELL has served the immigrant population in the Greater Cleveland Community since 2011. The money provided through the DGLF will fund staff support, as well as the purchase of curriculum materials, refreshments for students, and other resources to increase support of local English language learners in the CELL program. Additionally, this project will provide future educators with training in literacy instruction, as well as valuable experience working with the growing population of English language learners in public schools.  
 
This local grant is part of the foundation’s largest one-day donation earlier this year of more than $13.2 million throughout the 48 states in which Dollar General operates to support adult, family, and summer literacy programs. 
 
“For over 30 years, the Foundation has been investing in literacy and basic education programs in our hometown communities,” said Denine Torr, executive director of the DGLF. “This 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.” 
 
DGLF 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.  
 
Since 1993, DGLF has awarded more than $271 million in grants, helping more than 23 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 third grade to support his family.  
 
To learn more about the Dollar General Literacy Foundation, visit dgliteracy.org.  
 
For more information on CELL or to get involved, visit leecell.org, email Blake at [email protected], or call (423) 614-8223.