His Leon Levine Foundation has given out more than $450 million.
By Bruce Henderson, The Charlotte Observer
Levine’s name marks institutions across the region. The self-made man who never finished college started one of North Carolina’s biggest scholarship programs. The creator of one of the Southeast’s biggest foundations combedThe Leon Levine Foundation has granted more than $450 million, with more than half the total awarded since 2008. The figure doesn’t include gifts by Levine and his wife, Sandra.
Levine was born in Wadesboro, N.C., the youngest of four children whose father died when he was 12. He began helping his mother and brother Sherman run The Hub, the family department store in Rockingham. At 22, Levine used $6,000 to open the first Family Dollar Store on Charlotte’s Central Avenue in 1959. He had first visited a chain of stores in Tennessee that sold items under $1, according to the foundation’s website. Levine decided his store would sell everything — cleaning supplies, clothing, household goods — for $2 or less.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Victim suffers two gunshot wounds inside a Family Dollar storeA victim suffered two gunshot wounds in an incident inside a Dothan Family Dollar store, Dothan police said.
Read more »
Dollar General opposes proposed punishment for safety violations at Pa. storeOSHA claims issues at a Jersey Shore, Pennsylvania, store are similar to those found nationwide.
Read more »
Leon Levine, retail contrarian who founded Family Dollar, dies at 85Leon Levine, a college dropout who in 1959 emptied his bank account of $3,000 to found Family Dollar, growing it from a single store in downtown Charlotte into one of the country’s most successful discount retail chains, died April 5 at 85.
Read more »
San Antonio family members indicted in million-dollar housekeeping scheme at Army hospitals, medical centersA San Antonio family is facing federal charges in connection with a million-dollar housekeeping scheme at Army hospitals and medical centers.
Read more »
Man shot by officer at Family Dollar in Houston's south side, HPD saysHeavy law enforcement was seen canvassing the area, but details of what led to the shooting were not immediately released.
Read more »