Recent news headlines focus on the literacy crisis affecting New Hampshire’s youth. But what about adults struggling with literacy and underemployment in the Granite State? According to the Coalition for Adult Basic Education (2025), currently there are 22,787 adults in New Hampshire who do not speak English well or at all; 49,157 working-age adults (18-64) without high school credentials; and 2,319 working-age adults without a high school diploma who are unemployed.
To address these literacy needs, the Dollar General Literacy Foundation (DGLF) recently awarded New Hampshire Humanities’ Connections program a $7,500 grant to support adult literacy. The funds contribute to a record‑setting, single‑day total of nearly $16 million in grants nationwide — supporting adult, family, and summer literacy programs in the 48 states where Dollar General operates.
“The Connections program has been working to address literacy needs across New Hampshire for more than 30 years. We are extremely grateful to the Dollar General Literacy Foundation and their support, which allows the Connections program to improve literacy, work, and life skills of participants, one book at a time,” said Mary Nolin, Connections program manager.
Connections is a book discussion program designed to promote English language skills, cultivate conversations about ideas, reinforce family literacy, and support a culture of reading to more than 600 adult learners across the state of New Hampshire each year. Using a range of literature, from picture books to advanced novels, the Connections adult literacy program provides an accessible pathway into the humanities and discussion for participants to advance language and career goals. Connections participants can receive up to four free books and keep the books they read.
To learn more about or support the Connections program at New Hampshire Humanities, please visit https://www.nhhumanities.org/connections-adult-literacy