7.19.2006 - 09:08am ET

(CSRwire) ROUND ROCK, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--July 19, 2006--Dell Foundation "Literate Community" grants have been awarded to 22 organizations in four states -- Texas, Tennessee, Oklahoma and North Carolina -- where significant numbers of Dell (NASDAQ:DELL) employees live and work.

The two-year, $50,000 grants support innovative and collaborative initiatives that address educational and literacy needs in communities where Dell has facilities. The grants target educational programs that meet community needs and contribute to students' ability to succeed in the digital economy and competitive global marketplace.

"By supporting community organizations that are collaborating and achieving success in improving educational opportunities, the Dell Foundation's Literate Communities grants help strengthen the communities where the majority of Dell families live and work," said Lisa Huddleson, manager of the foundation.

Literacy affects educational and employment success. The "State of Adult Literacy 2005 Report"(a) found that 30 percent of teens entering high school do not graduate and low literacy is listed as a major factor for their dropping out. The 2003 "National Assessment of Adult Literacy" found that 65 percent of people below the basic literacy level were not working full-time.

This year's grants were awarded to organizations whose applications addressed improved grade-level success and literacy, as well as programs that contribute to interest and knowledge of math, science, economics and technology -- while also fostering collaboration between local organizations to further strengthen community education. A complete list of grants is attached and also available at http://www.dell.com.

The Dell Foundation solicits competitive applications from 501
(c)(3) non-profit organizations for a number of partnerships every two years. The next cycle for Literate Community grant application submission will be announced in 2008.

About Dell

Dell Inc. (NASDAQ:DELL) listens to customers and delivers innovative technology and services they trust and value. Uniquely enabled by its direct business model, Dell sells more systems globally than any computer company, placing it No. 25 on the Fortune 500. Company revenue for the past four quarters was $56.7 billion. For more information, visit http://www.dell.com. To get Dell news direct, visit http://www.dell.com/RSS.

Dell's 2006 Literate Community Partners

Descriptions of Literate Community Partners in Middle Tennessee

Homework Hotline, Inc.: Homework Hotline provides one-on-one free tutoring by phone to struggling students and their parents. Dell Foundation funding will enable the expansion of Homework Hotline to eight additional counties outside of the Nashville area. In addition to providing help by phone, Homework Hotline provides special services to at-risk or low-income students in the lowest performing schools in Nashville, providing dictionaries, homework tip sheets, multiplication flash cards, school supplies and Spanish-English dictionaries.

PENCIL Foundation: The PENCIL Foundation (Public Education Needs Community Involvement and Leadership) links community resources with Nashville public schools to help young people achieve academic success and prepare for life. Dell Foundation funding supports Math Partners, a program matching and training volunteer tutors to work with small groups of students on a weekly basis. The program helps students build their confidence in learning, understanding and applying mathematical concepts.

Boys & Girls Clubs of Middle Tennessee: The mission of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Middle Tennessee is to inspire and enable all young people, especially those from disadvantaged circumstances, to realize their full potential as productive, responsible and caring citizens.
Project Learn/POWER HOUR, funded in part by the Dell Foundation, provides after school learning experiences for low-performing, disadvantaged children between ages 6 and 14.

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Middle Tennessee: Big Brothers Big Sisters of Middle Tennessee helps children reach their potential through professionally supported, one-to-one mentoring relationships with measurable impact. Dell Foundation funding will help support The AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) High School Bigs Program.
This program will provide high school mentors ("Bigs") for at-risk children ("Littles") in elementary and middle schools in the Metro Nashville Public School System. Each mentor will meet one hour per week during the school year with their child, participating in academic and recreational activities.

Descriptions of Literate Community Partners in North Carolina:

SciWorks, The Science Center and Environmental Park of Forsyth County:
The mission of SciWorks is to promote scientific literacy, life-long learning and an appreciation of the sciences by providing innovative educational and recreational experiences for all people through interactive programs and exhibits, collections, an environmental park and unique facilities. Dell Foundation Funding will underwrite costs associate with the Science Education Programs. The program provides science and math learning experiences not feasible in the classroom and enables families to enjoy informal science and math learning.

Descriptions of Literate Community Partners in Oklahoma City:

City Care Inc.: City Care Inc. strives to build relationships between at-risk youth and caring adults through tutoring and mentoring. City Care Inc. also helps equip each child with tools for success in life by focusing on literacy and addressing character and moral issues.
Dell Foundation will help support the Whiz Kids Tutoring Program, which is an after-school, one-on-one tutoring and mentoring program with an academic focus on reading. This program serves students in grades 1-8 who live in areas with some of the highest drop out rates and lowest socioeconomic levels in Oklahoma City. Most of the children come from a background of poverty, neglect, abuse, violence and substance abuse and, because of their environment, place little or no value on education.

Descriptions of Literate Community Partners in Central Texas:

Austin Public Library Foundation: The Austin Public Library Foundation supports and strengthens Austin's public libraries, through increased awareness about the library and raises funds to provide programs, equipment and holdings. Dell Foundation support will help fund Storytime Connection, which brings volunteers to childcare centers in low-income neighborhoods on a regular weekly schedule to read to young children and leave books to encourage reading and book familiarity.
The program will serve 8,400 children of working poor families, with low education levels, whose schedules do not permit regular visits to the library.

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Texas: Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Texas (BBBS) helps boys and girls in difficult situations achieve their potential through caring one-to-one mentoring relationships. Dell Foundation funding will help support the Williamson County Teen Mentoring Program. This program matches and manages BBBS teen mentoring relationships at Bluebonnet and Berkman elementary schools with teens from Stony Point High School.

Boys & Girls Clubs of the Capital Area: The "Clubs" offer positive alternatives during non-school hours to children who are surrounded by negative influences, showing them how to live successful and productive lives. Dell Foundation funding will underwrite costs associated with the Education program, a multi-faceted approach to improving education achievement. Activities include: daily homework sessions with group tutoring, access to computers for homework or playing games, comprehensive math tutoring and a self-paced reading program.

Open Door Preschools: The mission of Open Door is to provide a quality inclusive preschool program to students of diverse abilities and backgrounds in a safe, nurturing, and stimulating environment that promotes respect and acceptance. Dell Foundation funding will help support the Creating Lifelong Learners: Curriculum Enhancement Program. The program includes a multi-sensory approach that allows children to learn through creative movement and music, leading them to explore their world, ask questions and search for answers. The Curriculum Enhancement Program is ethnically and socio-economically diverse and benefits a significant number of children with special needs.

Cedar Park Public Library Foundation and the Cedar Park Public
Library: The Cedar Park Public Library Foundation was chartered to support the Cedar Park Public Library in its mission to encourage literacy and promote life-long reading and learning. The Children's Reading and Computer Literacy Project is an ongoing program underwritten by Dell Foundation funding. Funds will be directed to children's reading and literacy enrichment, the library's summer reading program, computer literacy classes and adult enrichment activities.

Charles A Dana Center -- UT Foundation: AmeriCorps for Community Engagement and Education, a national service program, located in the Charles A. Dana Center at The University of Texas at Austin, provides research-based bilingual literacy intervention for young, struggling readers. The Dell Foundation will provide tutor stipends so the program may serve youth in one-on-one and small groups, providing tutoring, mentoring and classroom instructional support for after school classes and summer school.

Extend-A-Care: Extend-A-Care supports families, schools, employers and communities by providing licensed child care that is enriching and affordable for elementary school children. Funding underwrites Dell Science and Math Monday -- that includes the development of an age-appropriate science and math curriculum, delivered each week for about one hour.

FamilyConnections: FamilyConnections is a community-based agency serving the greater Austin community, providing safeguards for the youngest and most vulnerable residents by educating and supporting those with the greatest responsibility for child health, safety and well being (parents, childcare providers, teachers and community leaders). Dell Foundation funding will continue to support The Reading Connections Program, which helps provide a solid foundation in emergent literacy by educating parents and caregivers through a range of information, resources and skills building.

Junior Achievement of Central Texas: Junior Achievement (JA) is a youth services organization whose purpose is to provide students a fundamental understanding of the free enterprise system, businesses, economics and personal financial literacy. Dell funding will sponsor students' participation in JA's Economic Education Programs.

The Hispanic Mother-Daughter Program, Junior League of Austin: The Junior League of Austin is an organization of women committed to promoting volunteerism, developing the potential of women and improving the community through the effective action and leadership of trained volunteers. The Hispanic Mother-Daughter Program is a hallmark program of Junior League, and targets 6th through 12th grade Hispanic girls enrolled in the Austin Independent School District who show academic promise based on report cards and recommendations from school counselors and teachers. The Dell Foundation support underwrites program staff, the Summer Leadership Conference, visits to college campuses, workshops and events.

KLRU TV: The PBS station, KLRU, educates, informs and enlightens viewers through broadcasts reaching more than 500,000 households in Central Texas. Funding from The Dell Foundation will support two
programs: Sesame Street and the Ready to Learn Service. Sesame Street children's programming series prepares children to start school and continue lifelong learning through a variety of scientifically and time-tested techniques. The Ready to Learn program serves schools districts through parent, teacher and student workshops and provides curriculum materials.

LifeWorks: The mission of LifeWorks is to transition youth and families from crisis to safety and success. Dell Foundation funding will support the GED and Literacy Program, providing youth with self-paced, flexible instruction and educational resources to obtain their General Equivalency Diploma and/or literacy skills to gain employment.

Recording for Blind & Dyslexic: Recording for the Blind & Dyslexic
(RFB&D) is the world's leading producer and provider of educational materials in recorded and computerized formats. Dell's funding will enable the investigation and selection of schools in Travis and Williamson counties to receive the RFB&D Learning Through Listening Educational Outreach Program at no cost for their students, K-12, who are visually impaired, dyslexic and/or those with other physical disabilities.

Reading is FUNdamental of Austin: Reading Is FUNdamental (RIF) gives books to children from low-income families to motivate them to become lifelong readers and teaches their parents how to create print-rich environments for their children. The Infant and Preschool Program, supported by Dell Foundation funding, seeks to provide each child with books and reading motivation programs,from ages 1 though 5.

YMCA of Austin: The YMCA of Austin is opening its fifth location and is the leading provider of youth swimming instruction and summer day camps in Central Texas. In 2000, in partnership with the Dell Foundation, the YMCA began the Dell Super Summer Reader Program designed to assist children with identified poor reading skills and comprehension from families with limited resources dramatically improve their reading skills during the summer.

Zachary Scott Theatre Center: The Zachary Scott Theatre Center (ZACH) is committed to nurturing today for tomorrow and building an audience for theatre in the future. ZACH engages youth in theatre training that empowers them to unleash their imaginations and access their own artistic expression and aesthetic development. Funding from the Dell Foundation enables the new program APPRENTICES for a Creative Future to begin and focus on serving youth aged 15-18 from underserved communities in Austin. These students will be identified by counselors, parents, teachers, mentoring groups and community organizations and even the youth themselves. The APPRENTICES paid internship program will include professional artistic mentors, including directors, actors, designers, seamstresses, electricians and carpenters.



Copyright Business Wire 2006

For more information please contact: