Fundamentals for Kids Inc. Receives 2nd Annual $2,000 Grant from the Dollar General
Dollar General Literacy Foundation once again awarded Fundamentals for Kids Inc. a $2,000 grant to support summer reading. This local grant award is part of more than $8.3 million in grants awarded to more than 1,000 schools, nonprofits and organizations across the 44 states that Dollar General serves.
“Reading is fundamentally linked to every facet of learning. It’s imperative that children have frequent, meaningful, powerfully personal experiences with books. FFK is grateful to the Dollar General Literacy Foundation for supporting the efforts of our Readers PromisE4 program, which celebrates the belief that reading magic is best shared interactively and inter-generationally, with enthusiasm and intention,” says Natalie Rogers, an FFK volunteer reader, writer and literacy director.
FFK’s Readers PromisE4 program delivers Education, Enthusiasm, Entertainment and Engagement (E4) via the medium of children's books. Talented professionals volunteer their time reading aloud and discussing quality literature with school children. The program increases children's listening skills, vocabulary, reading comprehension, and pure pleasure for reading.
Grant funds will be used to facilitate a series of summer reading workshops at community centers in Central Florida. Trained literacy volunteers model effective reading strategies and techniques and engage children in interactive lessons related to each book read aloud. Lessons and activities are designed to build vocabulary and reading comprehension. Participating children receive their very own copy of the books to build personal libraries, as well as take-home activities to enjoy with their families and care-givers as a direct and powerful way to encourage continued reading and interest in books outside of school.
“Awakening young imaginations, inspiring them to visualize and see themselves in other realities, extending their world view, cultivating a lifelong love for reading, empowering children to become active stewards of their literacy development—all these benefit our community in profoundly powerful ways,” says Natalie.
“We are honored to fund literacy and education initiatives, which support our mission of Serving Others,” said Todd Vasos, Dollar General’s CEO. “The Dollar General Literacy Foundation is celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2018 and a legacy of helping people improve their lives through literacy and education. Including this grant, the Dollar General Literacy Foundation has provided more than $154 million in funding to help more than 10 million people. We believe these programs can have a positive impact on the communities we serve and we look forward to continuing to partner with organizations dedicated to making a difference in the lives of millions of Americans.”
The Dollar General Literacy Foundation is proud to support initiatives that help others improve their lives through literacy and education. Since its inception in 1993, the Dollar General Literacy Foundation has awarded more than $154 million in grants to nonprofit organizations, helping more than 10 million individuals take their first steps toward literacy or continued education.
