Oakland Elementary School recently received awarded a grant from the Dollar General Literacy Foundation to expand the school’s program for students who read below grade level.

Oakland was one of 700 schools and organizations that received a total of $3 million in grants from the foundation this year. The school was awarded the $2,850 grant through the foundation’s Youth Literacy program.

“We are proud to support Oakland Elementary School’s efforts to teach young people basic literacy skills,” said Rick Dreiling, Dollar General’s chairman and chief executive officer. “The Dollar General Literacy Foundation applauds their commitment to helping children learn to read and enhance their literacy skills.”

Oakland will use the grant to assist with its Read and Succeed Book Club program, which is offered to third-, fourth- and fifth-graders.

“Funding will be used to purchase books for each student, an audio version of the book and parent packets with information on encouraging their child to read,” said Emily Weiss, a spokeswoman for Dollar General.

She said the goal is to promote independent reading and improve students’ ease of reading and comprehension.

Weiss added Dollar General gives out the grants to schools and groups that work to support literacy in the areas that the company serves.

“Grants were awarded to organizations based on community need and the defined outcomes listed in the organization’s proposal,” she said.

The Dollar General Literacy Foundation was formed in 1993 to advance the literacy of individuals by awarding grants to organizations committed to improving literacy.

Since 1993, it has provided more than $61.7 million in grants to thousands of organizations that help people learn to read, earn their GED or learn the English language.

For more information on all of the Foundation’s grant programs, visit www.dgliteracy.org.