Dollar General’s Literacy Foundation awarded Jefferson Davis Community College a $15,000 grant for the college’s adult literacy program.

The local grant is one of over $7.1 million in grants awarded to more than 900 schools, non-profits and organizations across the 43 states that Dollar General serves.

For JDCC, the grant will go toward the GED program, as well as the English as a Second Language (ESL) program, JDCC Adult Education Director Cornelia Miller said.

“It helps supplement our adult education grant,” Miller said. “It helps us to do more than what our grant would cover.

“The grant helps pay for instructors and purchase software that is needed for instruction, and for the GED test, and the testing software we have to have for the English as a second language program,” she said.

Dollar General’s Literacy Foundation was founded in 1993, and has awarded more than $120 million in grants to non-profit organizations.

Miller said JDCC applies for the grant in the middle of January each year when Dollar General releases the application.

Additionally, Miller said the application process requires schools to have data to back up the application.

“It’s not an easy application to apply for,” she said. “I’ve been in the director’s position since 2008. Every year I’ve applied, I’ve received it.”

Miller said a mid-to-end-of-the-year report also has to be filed.

At present, JDCC has an ESL class on the Brewton campus on Wednesday and Thursday nights from 5-8. Additionally, there are ESL classes offered in Atmore and Flomaton.

“Most of the students are Hispanic,” Miller said. “But we do have other students from other backgrounds. Most of them come straight from work, and they’re very appreciative of the free classes through Dollar General as well as the adult education grant.”

Miller said after the mid-year report this year, JDCC has served 389 students so far this year.

Those who are interested in learning more about the ESL program at JDCC can contact Miller at 251-867-4832 or 251-368-7633.