Literacy Delaware awarded grant to create classroom framework for adults

Literacy Delaware will use the money to update their operational model to include a classroom framework. (Photo from Literacy Delaware)

As the state continues to grapple with the sharp decline in reading scores in schools, one literacy group just received a grant to help Delawareans outside of the K-12 system.

Literacy Delaware , which focuses on teaching First State adults how to speak English and read, has been granted $8,000 from the Dollar General Literacy Foundation , a national group that has awarded more than $250 million in grants to nonprofit organizations, helping more than 21.5 million individuals take their first steps toward literacy, a general education diploma or English proficiency.

“The Dollar General Literacy Foundation has been an unwavering partner in supporting our program,” said Cindy Shermeyer, Literacy Delaware’s executive director. “They readily back our new initiatives to serve adults with literacy struggles more effectively and to serve more adults.”

About 1 in 5 Delaware adults struggle with literacy, according to the Delaware Literacy Alliance , and about 130,000 read below a third-grade level.

This is a national issue, too, as approximately 130 million adults in the U.S.
lack basic literacy proficiency.  According to the 2020 U.S. Census Bureau, 258.3 million people in the United States are adults, meaning more than half are not proficient in literacy.

The $8,000 will help Literacy Delaware, which has been operating for 42 years, update their operational model to include a classroom framework in partnership with the Delaware Division of Libraries .

“We believe individuals of all ages deserve access to a quality education, and the Dollar General Literacy Foundation is thrilled to support thousands of learners across the country as they enrich their lives with literacy and education,” said Denine Torr, executive director of the Dollar General Literacy Foundation.

The foundation annually 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.

It also offers a student referral program for individuals interested in learning how to read, speak English, or prepare for the high school equivalency exam.

“This year’s spring grant cycle is equally exciting as we surpass impacting more than 20 million individuals,” Torr said. “We hope these funds provide resources needed to positively change students’ lives, helping them to build a brighter future for themselves and generations to come.”