Local DG employee donates ‘Kindness Award’ to Catholic Social Services

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SUMMERDALE, Alabama — Just days after Hurricane Sally blew through Baldwin County in September, Lisa Cooper, assistant store manager at Dollar General in Summerdale, and store manager Callie Stewart decided to reach out to the local first responders in their community.

“We heard that our local police officers were working around the clock and decided we wanted to do something to show them we appreciate everything they are doing for us,” Cooper said.

They took drinks and snacks to the officers and brought supplies to linemen restoring power to the community and to the Medstar ambulanced teams stationed near the store.

“They were working so hard for us, we just wanted to do something nice for them,” Cooper said.

Cooper also made tacos and chili and served members of the National Guard, who were distributing emergency supplies in the area.

As a result, Stewart decided to nominate Cooper for Dollar General’s Kindness Campaign award.

“At Dollar General, our mission of Serving Others is the foundation on which our business was built, continues to operate each and every day and serves as a guiding force to support our future,” according to a release on dollargeneral.com.

In 2020, the company began a new DG Kindness campaign aimed at highlighting and recognizing employees’ positive impacts in communities across the country. As part of the DG Kindness campaign, the organization recognizes and highlights employees who embody the company’s mission in their communities. The company also provides a $1,000 donation to an organization within their local community.
“Our team members are part of the fabric of the communities we call home,” said Denine Torr, Dollar General’s senior director of community initiatives. “Whether they are providing excellent customer service to Dollar General shoppers or going the extra mile to support a cause or organization they believe in, we want to celebrate and honor their commitment to serving others. The DG Kindness campaign gives employees the opportunity to provide funding to a deserving organization in their hometown, and it gives Dollar General the chance to recognize the important ways our employees are serving our communities.”

When asked, Cooper chose Catholic Social Services, based in Robertsdale, to receive the donation.

“We are so thankful to receive this donation,” said Phyllis Beam, director of Catholic Social Services in Baldwin County, “and are proud to be a part of people in our communities who go above and beyond to serve others.”