Philomath Elementary School is one of four Oregon schools and nonprofits to receive funding this year from the Dollar General Literacy Foundation, part of a national push to expand youth literacy programs.
The foundation awarded the school $3,936 as part of nearly $19,000 in youth literacy grants distributed to Oregon organizations this year.
Recipients can use the money for professional development or to purchase books, technology, equipment and other learning materials for K-12 students.
Three other Oregon organizations also received funding. Santiam Elementary School in Mill City and Mt. Angel Middle School in Mt. Angel each received $5,000, and Sweet Home’s Children’s Literacy Project received $5,000.
The Oregon awards are part of a larger national initiative in which the Dollar General Literacy Foundation announced more than $4.1 million in youth literacy grants benefiting more than 850 schools, libraries and nonprofit organizations across the country, with an estimated 545,000 students expected to benefit.
The grants are awarded near the start of each academic year to support K-12 literacy programs. The Dollar General Literacy Foundation, founded in 1993, has awarded nearly $297 million to literacy programs that have helped more than 26 million people improve their lives through literacy and education. The foundation was established by former Dollar General CEO Cal Turner Jr. in honor of his grandfather and company co-founder J.L. Turner, who was functionally illiterate.
