OCTC's SkillTrain Receives Dollar General Literacy Foundation Grant

by Bernie Hale

Owensboro, KY (06/02/2021) — The Dollar General Literacy Foundation recently awarded Owensboro Community & Technical College a $6,500 grant to support adult literacy. This local grant is part of the Dollar General Literacy Foundation's recent award of $10.5 million donation to support summer, family, and adult literacy programs, representing the organization's largest one-day grant donation in its 28-year history.

"Support from the Dollar General Literacy Foundation is a great gift to OCTC SkillTrain," says SkillTrain Director, Lindsey Kafer. "It allows us to expand our reach in both GED and English as a Second Language programming, to serve families in a family literacy format, and to provide transportation to students who otherwise wouldn't be able to attend classes. We are grateful for their support!"

OCTC SkillTrain provides GED and English as a Second Language classes and tutoring for adults in Daviess, Hancock, McLean, and Ohio Counties. Instruction is offered both in-person and online in virtual formats. SkillTrain serves 500+ adult learners in a typical year, helping them gain the skills and the credentials they need for life and work and giving them the chance to create better lives for themselves and their families.

"For nearly 30 years, the Dollar General Literacy Foundation has been proud to invest in literacy and education programs in our hometown communities," said Denine Torr, executive director of the Dollar General Literacy Foundation. "The recent and significant shifts in the educational landscape have made the Foundation's mission more critically important. As we work to create access to high-quality instruction for all individuals, we share our gratitude for the educators who are working to uplift and empower others. We hope these funds will have a meaningful impact on students and teachers across the country and look forward to seeing the positive impact they have on learners."

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, the Dollar General Literacy Foundation 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.

Media Attachments