PVLA Receives $5,000 Grant from the Dollar General Literacy Foundation to Support Family Literacy

The Dollar General Literacy Foundation (DGLF) recently awarded the Platte Valley Literacy Association (PVLA) a $5,000 grant to support family 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.

“The Platte Valley Literacy Association is so thankful to the Dollar General Literacy Foundation for their support of our Family Learning program,” says Jessica Wiig, executive director of the PVLA. “This grant ensures we have what we need to ensure our students are successful in the classroom and beyond.”

The Family Learning program started in September of 2023 as a pilot at Emerson Elementary. The program was created through a partnership between the PVLA, Central Community College (CCC) Adult Education and Columbus Public Schools (CPS). The purpose of the program is to give non-English-speaking parents the opportunity to be more involved with their child’s education while learning English. The ability to speak English provides confidence in helping their child(ren) with homework, interacting within the local community and supports employment success.

In addition, the partnership with the PVLA exposes adult students in the Family Learning program to numerous organizations and services in the community. Class time is set aside for community presentations, which have included the Columbus Police Department, Center for Survivors, the Department of Labor, and Columbus Area United Way, among others.

“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 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.

The Future of PVLA Funding

Photo by Pixabay

 

As a nonprofit, the PVLA is reliant on others to ensure we have the funds we need to provide services to students. For 2025, we have been lucky to secure the money we need to keep offering classes.

The vast majority of PVLA funding comes from grants, and so far this year, we have received money from the following:

• Columbus Area United Way
• Sherwood Foundation
• The Elks

What Are Grants?

In essence, grants are funds that are awarded to a nonprofit from some type of foundation, organization, or business. More often than not, the PVLA has to apply for these funds, and the awarding entity decides if our cause is worthy of money.

Grant funds are typically restricted, which means that they can only be used for a specific program or purpose.

For example, the PVLA offers a wide range of classes, including Book Club, Integration Class, Conversational English, Citizenship, etc. While all of these classes are amazing and help students become successful, they are not all covered by grant money.

Some organizations prefer to fund very specific programs. When a grantor restricts funds to specific programs, the PVLA can only spend the money on those specific programs.

And those are perfectly reasonable and accepted practices. Every entity has something different they are interested in and want to support, so they send funds to help with causes/classes they care about.

Grants can also come in the form of unrestricted funds. Typically, these are classified as “operating grants.” This money can be used for an array of things, including salaries, rent, supplies, or instructor salaries.

Whether a grant is restricted or unrestricted, they keep PVLA programs up and running.

Grants Are Not Guaranteed

One thing to keep in mind with grants is that they are not guaranteed. The PVLA has been incredibly lucky to receive the funds that we have.

We are so grateful to the foundations, organizations, and businesses that have awarded us grants so far this year. With those funds, we get to keep providing services.

Celebrate Good Times

When you see a post on Facebook or even here on the blog talking about grants that the PVLA has been awarded, we hope that you celebrate with us. A win for us is a win for our students, which in turn is a win for Columbus.

We are all intertwined, and what benefits one of us, benefits us all.

Once again, here’s a big THANK YOU to the entities that have awarded us grants so far:

• Columbus Area United Way
• Sherwood Foundation
• The Elks

Union Pacific Supports Adult Education with $10,000 Community Ties Giving Program Grant

The Union Pacific Community Ties Giving Program recently awarded the Platte Valley Literacy Association (PVLA) a $10,000 grant to support adult education.

“Local grants have the power to create meaningful change within the communities our tracks touch,” says Beth Whited, Union Pacific President and Union Pacific Foundation President. “We are proud to partner with nonprofit organizations who are making an impact on the future—creating safer places for children and families; bringing economic prosperity to communities; building vibrant, inclusive areas for people to thrive; and instilling sustainable practices.”

Goals of the Union Pacific Grant

Throughout its existence, the success of Union Pacific’s business has been inextricably linked to the economic and community wellbeing of cities and towns across the nation. They take pride in knowing that they have helped communities thrive and believe the impact they have on local communities is the greatest when the support is authentic to Union Pacific’s history and reflects the diverse company they are today.

The railroad carefully aligns its local grants cause areas to the company’s unique strengths, heritage and assets. They prioritize funding for direct services and efforts that build organizational capacity focused on causes within their local operating communities. Within the specific focus areas, Union Pacific aims to support organizations and programs that strive to advance the diversity, equity and inclusion of underrepresented populations within the local areas and address issues that need to be resolved.

What the Grant Means for the PVLA

“Being awarded a grant from the Union Pacific Community Ties Giving Program is absolutely astounding,” says Jessica Wiig, PVLA executive director. “The work we do empowers our students to achieve great things beyond the classroom, and this grant from Union Pacific makes us feel not only like valued members of the Columbus community, but a larger community as well—one that is served by the UP—and that is humbling and inspiring.”

The PVLA has been proudly serving the Columbus, Nebraska, area for several decades as a United Way Agency. Their goal is to meet the educational needs of individuals in the community. They partner with the Central Community College Adult Education program to further increase educational opportunities in the area and help students gain the necessary skills to be successful in life. The funds granted to the PVLA by the Union Pacific Community Ties Giving Program will be used to resolve barriers to employment.

There are a lot of opportunities available in Columbus, and people come to the area to see if they can obtain their piece of the American pie. However, for some, there are obstacles that stand in the way. Whether that encumbrance is not speaking English, not knowing how to find jobs, or not having the right status to apply for a specific job, the PVLA is here to help.

This grant ensures that the PVLA will be able to provide high-quality instructors, equipment and materials that can help students achieve their dreams within the classroom and beyond, providing them with opportunities, skills and knowledge so that they can apply for and obtain higher paying jobs to support themselves and their families.

PVLA Receives $7,500 Grant from the Dollar General Literacy Foundation to Support Adult Literacy

Students participate in the Introductory ESL class at the PVLA.

The Dollar General Literacy Foundation (DGLF) recently awarded the Platte Valley Literacy Association (PVLA) a $7,500 grant to support adult literacy. 

This local grant is a part of the Foundation’s more than $10.6 million donated to support adult, family and summer literacy programs in the 48 states in which Dollar General operates. With today’s grants, the DGLF also surpasses helping more than 20 million individuals achieve their educational dreams since its inception in 1993.

“This grant from Dollar General is going to make a huge impact on our students,” says Jessica Wiig, executive director of the PVLA. “Working with organizations that are just as passionate about literacy education as we are is incredibly exciting and ensures that students have what they need to be successful in the classroom and in life.”

The PVLA has been proudly serving the Columbus, Nebraska, area for several decades as a United Way Agency. Their goal is to meet the educational needs of individuals in the community. They partner with the Central Community College Adult Education program to further increase educational opportunities in the area and help students gain the necessary skills to be successful in life.

Adult literacy classes that are available at the PVLA include Citizenship, Conversational English, Introductory ESL, a Book Club and an Integration Class. One-on-one employability skills training is also available. 

The funds granted to the PVLA by Dollar General will be used to obtain and retain quality instructors and up-to-date classroom materials. The skills and knowledge that students learn in the class is not only beneficial to them but to the community as well, as each individual becomes a valuable and contributing member.

“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,” shared Denine Torr, executive director of the Dollar General Literacy Foundation. “This year’s spring grant cycle is equally exciting as we surpass impacting more than 20 million individuals. 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.”

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 or through referral cards found in the Learn to Read brochures that are available at the cash register of every Dollar General store.

For more information about the classes offered at the PVLA, please call 402-562-1463 or send an email to pvlacolumbusne @ yahoo.com.

 

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 $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. 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.

What Does it Mean to Get Grants?

Photo by 金 运 on Unsplash

If you follow our Facebook page, then you’ve probably noticed a lot of posts about grants that the PVLA has received. You might be thinking: Wow! Good for them!

You might also be thinking: What’s up with all these grants? What exactly is a grant?

And these are reasonable questions. This post will help clear up any confusion. 😊

What Are Grants?

In essence, grants are funds that are awarded to a nonprofit from some type of foundation, organization, or business. More often than not, the PVLA has to apply for these funds, and the awarding entity decides if our cause is worthy of money.

Grant funds are typically restricted, which means that they can only be used for a specific program or purpose.

For example, the PVLA offers a wide range of classes, including Book Club, Integration Class, Conversational English, Citizenship, etc. While all of these classes are amazing and help students become successful, they are not all covered by grant money.

Some organizations prefer to fund very specific programs, such as Tyson Foods awarding a grant specifically for the Introductory ESL class.

Or the Nebraska Presbyterian Foundation specifically sending money for the Integration and Citizenship classes.

When a grantor restricts funds to specific programs, the PVLA can only spend the money on those specific programs.

And those are perfectly reasonable and accepted practices. Every entity has something different they are interested in and want to support, so they send funds to help with causes/classes they care about.

Why So Many Grants?

And that brings us to why the PVLA has so many grants. With each one being allocated to a specific program, we need to make sure we have the funds necessary to pay instructors and provide students with up-to-date learning materials.

That’s why we have received so many grants recently. Each one takes care of a different program and ensures our nonprofit has what it needs to provide for students.

Having that many grants is a good thing. It means that others are invested in our mission and want to see the PVLA and our students succeed.

Grants Are Not Guaranteed

One thing to keep in mind with grants is that they are not guaranteed. The PVLA has been incredibly lucky to receive the funds that we have, and the money is used exactly for what it’s supposed to be used for.

We are so grateful to the foundations, organizations, and businesses that have awarded us grants so far this year. Again, it shows that these other places are just as invested in our mission as we are. With those funds, we get to keep providing services.

Celebrate Good Times

So, when you see a post on Facebook or even here on the blog talking about grants that the PVLA has been awarded, we hope that you celebrate with us. A win for us is a win for our students, which in turn is a win for Columbus. 

We are all intertwined, and what benefits one of us, benefits us all.

Once again, here’s a big THANK YOU to the entities that have awarded us grants so far:

Tyson Foods

Columbus Area United Way

Our local Walmart

Nebraska Presbyterian Foundation

Dollar General

New Grant from Tyson Foods Expands PVLA Class Offerings

The PVLA is super thrilled to announce that we have received a $4,000 grant from Tyson Foods, which will be used to offer an Introductory ESL class to students.

What Are Introductory ESL Classes?

Introductory ESL classes give adult students the foundation they need to learn the English language. Once they have the basics, they can then move onto higher level English classes, citizenship classes, or GED classes to obtain the skills and knowledge they need to accomplish their goals.

The 1-hour weekly class is designed to provide basic information such as teaching students the alphabet, numbers, colors, and how to introduce themselves, among others. The classes are centered around 12 lessons, which are taught on a continuous loop throughout the year.

The class is free, and students can join at any time.

The basic ESL class is geared toward individuals who have no or low English skills, but anyone is welcome to join to improve their English-speaking abilities. Classes are held on Thursdays from 12:00 to 1:00 pm at the Family Resource Center (3020 18th St, Suite 4, Columbus, NE).

Why Are Introductory Classes Necessary?

You may be wondering why the PVLA would need to offer an Introductory ESL class, especially when we have other English classes and partner with CCC to offer even more English classes.

One of the reasons why this class is necessary is because of CCC shifting to semester enrollment. We already did a blog post that talked about the benefits of this schedule change, but to remind you of some of the highlights, they include:

• Ensuring that lessons are taught in a logical, sequential manner so that students learn more
• Less stress on the instructor because they have a better idea of whom to expect in class from week to week
• Enrolling students for a semester can improve class attendance, which is essential when it comes to learning a new language

There are a few downsides to semester enrollment as well, including that students who walk through our door after the enrollment period have to wait to get into a CCC ESL class.

But that’s where the PVLA comes in, particularly with the Introductory ESL class.

Individuals can still come to the PVLA and start their journey to learn the English language. They also get exposed to what is expected of them in the classroom. This can be incredibly helpful if it’s been a while since they’ve been in a school setting or need to know how the language learning will impact their work and life schedule.

Learning the English language may be necessary, but it can also be intimidating. When signing up for CCC classes, a student has to commit a lot of time and effort—and while that commitment pays out in the long run, it can be challenging.

If an individual starts with an Introductory ESL class, it can increase confidence and ease fears, ensuring success now and into the future.

Building a Strong Foundation

Having a strong foundation is necessary when it comes to building practically anything. When it comes to language skills, knowing the basics is essential to move on to bigger and better things. By offering an Introductory ESL class, we are empowering our students to obtain the basics they need to build upon—whatever that might look like.

Whether a student decides they want to attend higher level ESL classes, obtain their citizenship, learn how to converse in English, or obtain their GED, they have to start somewhere, and the Introductory ESL class gives them that starting point.

This class wouldn’t be possible without the support of Tyson Foods, and the PVLA is honored and excited to partner with them to provide a new class for our students.

The Generosity of Others

Photo by Alexander Schimmeck on Unsplash

There is nothing more exciting than opening the mailbox and finding a check waiting for you. Even if you were expecting the money, it still brings a smile to your face and makes the world seem a little brighter. If you weren’t expecting the money, then seeing a check is even more exciting and memorable.

A few weeks ago, here at the PVLA, we were surprised with a grant check for $5,000 from an anonymous donor. We had applied for the money, but it was uncertain whether we’d get it. Until the check is in our hands, we never take anything for granted (play-on words done purposefully 😊).

The money has been allocated to support our programming, which means it will have a direct impact on our students and instructors.

Without grant allocations, the PVLA wouldn’t be able to do what we do. We rely on the generosity of others, and we are always impressed with how many people share our vision of helping adult students become successful.

Here’s to the amazing donors in the world that share our vision of empowering individuals to reach their educational goals!

Photo by Lip on Unsplash