AYCC $4000 grant from Dollar General Literacy Foundation
AYCC Receives $4,000 Grant from the Dollar General Literacy Foundation to Support Youth Literacy
Waterville, Maine – September 17, 2024 – The Dollar General Literacy Foundation (DGLF) recently awarded the Alfond Youth & Community Center (AYCC) a $4,000 grant to support its youth literacy program. This local grant is a part of more than $4 million recently awarded to nonprofit organizations, libraries, and schools in Dollar General’s hometown communities across the country to help extend a brighter future for K-12 students.
The AYCC After School Program used the funds to purchase iPads for satellite programs in Benton, China, Millstream, and Oakland which will allow youth to access Epic! Books and read a wide range of digital books despite limited physical collections. Throughout the year, the children will maintain reading logs and participate in a contest to see which location can read the most books. The logs track and analyze reading progress over time and will determine which site earns an ice cream party by reading the most books. The program will be integrated into other literacy initiatives at the sites, such as group reading sessions and involving community readers.
“We understand investing in youth literacy means investing in the future of students and our collective communities,” shared Denine Torr, executive director of the Dollar General Literacy Foundation. “Through these grants, we hope to enhance the programs’ efforts to foster students’ critical thinking skills, creativity, and confidence so they can unlock their potential and achieve their dreams.”
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.
A comprehensive list of grant recipients may be found online at www.dgliteracy.org
About the Alfond Youth & Community Center
The Alfond Youth & Community Center (AYCC) is the 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that operates the nation’s only merged Boys and Girls Clubs and YMCA. Located in Central Maine, the dedicated staff of the 85,000-square-foot facility serves over 9,000 members from throughout the 50 communities of the Greater Waterville area.
The Alfond Youth & Community Center (AYCC) is the 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that operates the nation’s only merged Boys and Girls Clubs and YMCA. Located in Central Maine, the dedicated staff of the 85,000-square-foot facility serves over 9,000 members from throughout the 50 communities of the Greater Waterville area.
A true youth and community center, the AYCC boasts childcare and after-school programs, wellness, fitness, athletics, aquatics, and summer camps.