Press Release, Michigan City Area Schools:
Michigan City, IN – The Dollar General Literacy Foundation (DGLF) recently awarded Safe Harbor a $3,000.00 grant to support summer 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.
About the Safe Harbor Summer Reading Program: To promote summer reading, reduce summer learning loss, and foster a love of books, Safe Harbor’s Summer STEAM Camp includes “Book Club” as part of its enrichment schedule. Through Book Club, students read and discuss selected books in groups, encouraging engagement and comprehension. At the end of each session, students receive copies of the books they’ve read to keep and enjoy at home.
“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 also plans to launch 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 Safe Harbor
Safe Harbor is an out-of-school time enrichment program in partnership with Michigan City Area Schools in Michigan City, Indiana. The program focuses on literacy and STEM education, serving an average of 450 students during the school year and an additional 80 students during the summer. Safe Harbor operates as a 21st Century Community Learning Center, with support from the Indiana Department of Education, United Way of LaPorte County, the Morgan Family Foundation, and the Michigan City Community Enrichment Corporation.
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.