Our second GWC community meeting was held on Tuesday, May 15, at The Arts Center. Following a social time, we moved to our program, “Offering Hope: Services for Women and Children in Crisis”, featuring Alice Hodges of Meg’s House and Cathy Miller of Beyond Abuse. Many of our members and numerous guests attended, numbering around 70.
GWC Charter Members celebrated at a special evening event on Monday, April 30, hosted by Wesley Commons at their new outdoor pavilion. GWC is delighted to have 104 Charter Members in our very first months of membership! GWC is an open membership organization and community-minded women may join at any time. All interested women are invited to attend our Quarterly Meetings and Socials and to consider becoming a part of GWC to “learn, give, and grow” together. Our first GWC Grants will be awarded in early 2019.
Nine local nonprofits were awarded grants in GCCF’s 2018 Youth & Education cycle for programs and projects benefitting Greenwood County. They are: City of Greenwood for fire prevention education programs and materials for children and youth Community Initiatives for vehicle expenses for transport of Safe Haven schoolchildren Cornerstone for collaborative community campaign about opioids abuse and related issues Emerald City Rotary Foundation in support of the Imagination Library project Goodwill Industries for job training programs at Greenwood site Healthy Learners for transportation for medical services for school-age children with limited resources and for staff support The Museum and Railroad Historical Center for scholarships to summer camps at The Museum and Railroad Historical Center P. H. Carmichael Foundation for youth academic and career development programs Panola United Methodist Church for a collaborative summer literacy program in an underserved neighborhood GCCF is honored to support the efforts of these local organizations!
It was exciting to see so many women at our first Greenwood Women Care Quarterly Meeting on Tuesday, February 20, at The Museum! We enjoyed a lively reception and informative program. Teresa Goodman (Executive Director, Community Initiatives) spoke about nonprofit social services and motivations for community service and Anne Craig (Executive Director, Arts Council of Greenwood County) informed us about opportunities for involvement in arts and culture in Greenwood County. Megha Lal and Mary Woodiwiss (GWC Steering Committee members) addressed the gathering about the values, impetus, and structure of this initiative.
Approximately 90 women attended, numbered evenly among guests and members. Since this first GWC community meeting, many of our guests have joined GWC!
GCCF’s Open Granting cycle in December 2017 provided funding for a range of projects and programs for Greenwood County. Congratulations to: Beyond Abuse for security fencing on site Festiva in support of the 2017-2018 concert series offered to the public at no charge Food Bank of Greenwood County for food supplies for the “Sowing Seeds” program Greenwood Place for the purchase of video equipment for organizational programs Meg’s House for legal advocacy for clients The Museum and Railroad Historical Center for “War on Two Fronts” exhibit and program expenses National Safety Council – Southeastern Chapter for “Stop the Bleed” educational campaign and supply kits Ninety Six National Historic Site to fund a Colonial Day Camp summer program Piedmont Agency on Aging for implementation of a Tadpoles communication system at Lifetime Discoveries Thank you for all your efforts to enrich our Greenwood community!
GCCF congratulates the following organizations that received funding in our 2017 Community Enhancement granting cycle: Arts Council of Greenwood County for summer art outreach camps and Black history Month exhibit costs Greenwood Lions Club Foundation for an otoacoustic screener for hearing assessment of children and adults Greenwood Pathway House toward the purchase of minivan for client transport Humane Society of Greenwood for Trap, Neuter, and Return costs to treat 300 feral/community cats Project Hope Foundation to fund the development of online training about autism for the community United Housing Connections for security upgrades to Section 8 housing complex Thank you for your continued, dedicated good work in our community!
These 10 nonprofit organizations received GCCF Youth & Education funding in order to serve residents of Greenwood County: Alston Wilkes Society in support of pre-and post-release education and services for ex-offenders Bowers-Rodgers Children’s Home to provide summer day camp scholarships for residents Children’s Museum of the Upstate for museum admission scholarships for Greenwood County schoolchildren Community Initiatives for educational consulting services, staff training, and materials for summer literacy program at Safe Haven Greenwood Family Y for purchase of SEAL SwimSafe system Healthy Learners to provide for transportation costs and medical expenses for school-age children with limited resources La Puerta de Esperanza in support of summer mentoring and development program A Place for Us Ministries to enable residents to obtain GEDs, and to receive employment training and other development and mentoring services SC Governor’s School of Science and Mathematics for CREATEng engineering summer camp for Greenwood County students to be held at Lander University United Way of Greenwood and Abbeville Counties — for the “Stuff the Bus” program that provides school supplies for children with limited resources GCCF is grateful to support this array of good work in our community!
The Greenwood County Community Foundation (GCCF) awarded grants to nine nonprofit organizations in Greenwood County in their recent Open Granting cycle. Recipients are: Aviation Expo, Beyond Abuse, Community Initiatives, Greater Greenwood United Ministries, Meg’s House, The Museum, Ninety Six National Historic Site, Salvation Army, and the SC Festival of Flowers.
In 2016 alone, 21 area nonprofits have received a combined $115,425 in grants from the Foundation’s Community Impact Grants. Donor Advised and Designated Funds held by GCCF account for substantial support of many area nonprofits as well. These contributions totaled nearly $260,000 this year.
In its five year granting history, GCCF has allocated more than $2.5 million in grants, primarily for projects and programs in Greenwood County.
GCCF awards in the 2016 Open Granting cycle have been designated for: Aviation Expo for rental of warplanes for annual Aviation Expo event Beyond Abuse for training of therapeutic staff in Protection Clarification Therapy Community Initiatives for translation services for Safe Haven families Greater Greenwood United Ministry for materials costs in Minor Home Repair program Meg’s House to provide legal advocacy for clients The Museum and Railroad Historical Center for summer camp scholarships for children in need Ninety Six National Historic Site to fund historically-based entertainment at annual Crossroads event Salvation Army for expanded services in Senior Food program SC Festival of Flowers to fund Youth Topiary project in the annual SC Festival of Flowers and 2017 Kidfest program Congratulations to each grant recipient organization! GCCF is honored to support your good work.
This was originally published by GwdToday.com.
Christmas came early for Wendi Andrews and her children, Miracle and Chance, when they were handed the keys to the first house built by the Lander University chapter of Habitat for Humanity.
Andrews, speaking during the Sunday, Dec. 11, dedication service, called the opportunity to own her own home “a dream come true.”
Posing on the front porch of the house, located in Kirksey Forest subdivision, are, from left, Sonny Nodine, residence life coordinator at Lander; Erin Garland, coordinator of Registered Student Organizations at Lander and adviser of the Lander chapter of Habitat for Humanity; Andy Benoit, Lander vice president for Enrollment and Access Management; Miracle Andrews; Chase Andrews; Mary Woodiwiss, grants administrator for Greenwood County Community Foundation; Wendi Andrews; and Chad Charles, executive director of the Greenwood-Abbeville chapter of Habitat for Humanity.
GCCF works collaboratively with individuals and organizations that are interested in improving the quality of life in Greenwood. Through annual granting cycles the Foundation provides funding to charitable organizations located in the county.