OKLAHOMA CITY, OK (July 6, 2022) — The Foundation for Oklahoma City Community College (OCCC) was recently awarded an $8,000 grant from the Dollar General Literacy Foundation. The grant will help students earn their high school equivalency credential, one of OCCC’s adult literacy initiatives.

“OCCC has long been a leader in the state in its efforts to lift up residents through educational opportunities,” said OCCC President Dr. Mautra Staley Jones. “This grant will bolster those efforts to help adults who seek a better life for themselves and their families. We are grateful that the Dollar General Literacy Foundation supports OCCC’s work to provide these life-changing opportunities.”

One focus of OCCC’s Community Outreach and Education program is helping adults prepare to take High School Equivalency (HiSET) exams. Certified instructors work with students to meet their educational needs, building from foundational skills and preparing students to pass the HiSET exams.

The grant from the Dollar General Literacy Foundation will provide students with vouchers to pay for practice exams in five academic areas necessary to earn the High School Equivalency credential. Approximately 400 vouchers will be provided through the grant.

“For nearly 30 years, the Dollar General Literacy Foundation has been proud to invest in literacy and education programs in our hometown communities,” said Denine Torr, executive director of the Dollar General Literacy Foundation. “The recent and significant shifts in the educational landscape have made the Foundation’s mission more critically important. As we work to create access to high-quality instruction for all individuals, we share our gratitude for the educators who are working to uplift and empower others. We hope these funds will have a meaningful impact on students and teachers across the country and look forward to seeing the positive impact they have on learners.”

The Dollar General Literacy Foundation has supported OCCC’s programs with grants of $71,000 since 2013.

To learn more about OCCC’s Community Outreach and Education program, go to occc.edu/coe.

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About Oklahoma City Community College
Celebrating 50 years of providing unique educational opportunities for students in 2022, Oklahoma City Community College serves students preparing for college, working toward a degree or certificate or taking classes for personal enrichment. Approximately 17,000 students take courses offering college credit in more than 60 associate degree or certificate programs that lead to continued education at a four-year institution or entry into the workforce upon graduation. For more information, visit occc.edu.

About The Foundation for Oklahoma City Community College
The Foundation for Oklahoma City Community College is a nonprofit organization with the sole mission of facilitating charitable giving that supports the people and programs at the college. For more information, visit GiveToOCCC.org.

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 $216 million in grants, helping more than 15.4 million individuals take their first steps toward literacy, a general education diploma or English proficiency. Cal Turner, Jr. founded the Dollar General Literacy Foundation to honor his grandfather and Dollar General’s co-founder, J.L. Turner, who was functionally illiterate having dropped out of school in the third grade to support his family. The Foundation aims to provide support to schools, libraries and nonprofit organizations that seek to improve adult, summer, youth and family literacy initiatives. To learn more about the Dollar General Literacy Foundation, visit www.dgliteracy.org.

Contact: Kim Terry, Director of Marketing & PR
Kim.Terry@occc.edu | 405.503.9220