Spanish Fort — Seventy-four students will have the opportunity to better their reading skills, learn English or earn their GEDs during this school year thanks to Bellator Real Estate & Development's partnership with the South Baldwin Literacy Council (SBLC).

Bellator's internal fundraiser, named Get Lit: Bellator's Back-to-School Literacy Challenge, created competition among Bellator's seven offices to see who could raise the most money for the SBLC. Bellator's more than 200 agents rose to the challenge, topping the projected fundraising amount with a total donation of $23,161 toward the SBLC's mission of providing literacy instruction to help people in our community make a better life for themselves and their families.

"SBLC is honored and humbled by the generosity of the agents and Bellator. It takes a community, and it is genuinely inspiring to see when a company of this size steps up to support children and adults all across our county who are studying for a better future." Mitchell Lee, Executive Director of South Baldwin Literacy Council states.

Bellator's agents raised over $16,000 through checks and online donations as well as signing up with the SBLC as volunteer tutors while the remaining $7,000 was a corporate donation. Bellator's Fairhope Office, located at 11 North Section Street in Downtown Fairhope, won the challenge with an average of $137.75 donated per each agent in the office.

"We are so thankful for the work the SBLC does to better the lives of people in Baldwin County and are honored to be able to help support their efforts," Troy Wilson, president of Bellator, said. "Our agents exceeded our expectations with their generosity, and 74 children and adults will live better lives due to their efforts. We aim to help others succeed, whether that's our agents, our clients or our community. This initiative was another opportunity Bellator choose to donate time & financial resources to help do our part to help others."