2013 Columbia Giving Guide

Giving Your guide to community giving in the Midlands | 2013 -14

Learning early

Nonprofits focus on educating the very young

Sponsored by

$302M 8.7M $190M 3SC OFFICES 130SC STAFF

2012 TRANSACTION VALUE SQUARE FEET MANAGED PROJECT MANAGEMENT VALUE IN 3 YEARS

+

65

NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS SUPPORTED BY COLLIERS STAFF CHARLESTON

COLUMBIA

1301 Gervais Street, Suite 600 Columbia, SC 29201

201 E. McBee Avenue, Suite 201 Greenville, SC 29601

TEL +1 843 723 1202 Twitter: @ColliersIntlSC www.colliers.com/charleston

TEL +1 803 254 2300 Twitter: @ColliersIntlSC www.colliers.com/columbia

TEL +1 864 297 4950 Twitter: @ColliersIntlSC www.colliers.com/greenville

25 Calhoun Street, Suite 220 Charleston, SC 29401

GREENVILLE

D Letter from the publisher

Dear Readers, T

he Columbia Regional Business Report is proud to present the inaugural issue of Giving: Your guide to community giving in the Midlands.

It is apparent that the people in our community don’t just see there is a need, they try to do something about it. Midlands residents gave a total of $460.2 million in 2008, the most recent data available.

Giving is not just about dollars, it’s also about giving your time and talents. In this issue, we are addressing early childhood education, and you will read about people who are giving up their time and using their talents to lift up children to give them a head start in life.

We hope that after reading this issue, you’ll be just as inspired as we were by the efforts that members of our community are making to help those less fortunate.

A special congratulation goes out to John W. Folsom, president & CEO of Colliers International South Carolina, who has been named the United Way of the Midlands’ 2013 Humanitarian of the Year.

We also congratulate the seven individuals and organizations who have been recognized by the Association of Fundraising Professionals. These winners exemplify what philanthropy is all about.

Finally, I want to thank our partners, Central Carolina Community Foundation, AFP and United Way of the Midlands for giving us the guidance and support to present this publication.

Bob Bouyea

Special thanks to:

Sincerely, Bob Bouyea Publisher Columbia Regional Business Report

4 Giving: Your guide to community giving in the Midlands

www.columbiabusinessreport.com

Your guide to community giving in the Lowcountry

Publisher - Bob Bouyea bbouyea@scbiznews.com • 803.726.7541 MIDLANDS NEWSROOM Editor - James T. Hammond jhammond@scbiznews.com • 803.726.7545

contents FEATURES

Staff Writer - Chuck Crumbo ccrumbo@scbiznews.com • 803.726.7542

12

Bringing reading to life

Special Projects Editor - Licia Jackson ljackson@scbiznews.com • 803.726.7546 Data Researcher - Elizabeth Fonte efonte@scbiznews.com • 803.726.7544

Volunteer tutors give extra help

Data Research Assistant - Micah Witherspoon mwitherspoon@scbiznews.com • 803.726.7547 Graphic Designer - Jean Piot jpiot@scbiznews.com • 864.235.5677, ext. 105

15

Graphic Designer - Mallory Baxter mbaxter@scbiznews.com • 864.235.5677, ext. 115

When health problems interfere

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Account Executive - Alan James ajames@scbiznews.com • 803.726.7540

Programs make sure children are ready to learn

Account Executive - David Lorick dlorick@scbiznews.com • 803.726.7543

South Carolina’s Media Engine for Economic Growth

18

President and Group Publisher - Grady Johnson gjohnson@scbiznews.com • 843.849.3103

Arts and sciences

Vice President of Sales - Steve Fields sfields@scbiznews.com • 843.849.3110

Midlands cultural groups and museums make learning fun

Creative Director - Ryan Wilcox rwilcox@scbiznews.com • 843.849.3117 Director of Audience Development - Rick Jenkins rjenkins@scbiznews.com • 864.235.5677, ext. 112 Event Manager - Kathy Allen kallen@scbiznews.com • 843.849.3113 Audience Development & IT Manager - Kim McManus kmcmanus@scbiznews.com • 843.849.3116 Audience Development Specialist - Jessica Smalley jsmalley@scbiznews.com • 864.235.5677 ext. 116 Special Projects Assistant - Melissa Verzaal mverzaal@scbiznews.com • 843.849.3104

About the cover:

Payton Clark, a kindergarten student at Harbison West Elementary School, gets extra help practicing writing with a volunteer from Midlands Reading Consortium.

Photo/Jeff Blake

Event Planner - Jacquelyn Fehler jfehler@scbiznews.com • 864.235.5677, ext. 113 Accounting Manager - Vickie Deadmon vdeadmon@scbiznews.com • 864.235.5677, ext. 100 CUSTOM MEDIA DIVISION Director of Business Development - Mark Wright mwright@scbiznews.com • 843.849.3143

DEPARTMENTS 6 QUICK FACTS 8 AWARD WINNERS 20 NONPROFIT SPOTLIGHT

38 DAY OF ACTION

Sponsored by

Account Executive - Reneé Piontek rpiontek@scbiznews.com • 843.849.3105

www.columbiabusinessreport.com

Giving: Your guide to community giving in the Midlands

5

QUICK FACTS

Quick Facts

The Midlands demonstrates a commitment to positive social, educational and economic change through local, regional and statewide giving and the endowed organizations providing services.

How the South Gives The billion dollar figure represents the total contributions. The percentages represent the percent of income.

4.6%

7.4B

6.2%

4.8B

5.9%

4.8%

4.3B

4.2B

6.6%

2.7B

Florida

Georgia

North Carolina

Virginia

Tennessee

How the Midlands gives

23%

The Midlands percentage of charitable giving out of the $2 billion annually given by South Carolinians

County Total giving in millions Calhoun . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3.8 Clarendon. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8.5 Fairfield. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7.1 Kershaw . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25.4 Lee. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Lexington . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136.8 Newberry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11.2 Orangeburg. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27.4 Richland . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 202.17 Saluda. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2.3 Sumter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33.6 MIDLANDS Totals 460.2 The county totals come from 2008 IRS tax returns, the most recent data available.

6 Giving: Your guide to community giving in the Midlands

7.1%

2.3B Alabama

6.4%

2.0B South Carolina

5.3%

7.2%

1.5B

1.1B

Louisiana

Mississippi

This data is from 2008 IRS tax returns.

Charitable Giving in the Midlands Assets

Giving

Bonner Family Private Foundation $4,272,342 $286,000 Budweiser of Columbia, Anderson & Greenville $1,144,434 $111,386 James F. Byrnes Foundation $2,403,854 $83,375 Central Carolina Community Foundation $93,672,767 $10,344,647 Dick Horne Foundation $6,110,177 $330,554 Kershaw County Vocational Educational $796,812 $214,000 Lipscomb Family Foundation $13,408,284 $616,952 Williams-Brice Edwards Charitable Trust $3,919,664 $250,000 United Way of Midlands $10,899,463 $7,844,213 Information provided by Chronicle of Philanthropy, How America Gives, unless otherwise noted. www.columbiabusinessreport.com

www.columbiabusinessreport.com

Giving: Your guide to community giving in the Midlands

7

AWARD WINNERS

AFP recognizes National Philanthropy Day Award winners for 2013

E

ach year, the Association of Fundraising Professionals, Central South Carolina Chapter, recognizes exemplary individuals, corporations and organizations involved in giving and volunteering in the Midlands community. These winners serve as models of what philanthropy is all about.

AFP Central South Carolina is giving seven awards for 2013.

Outstanding Corporation Award Palmetto Citizens Federal Credit Union Palmetto Citizens Federal Credit Union was nominated by the Palmetto Health Foundation.

The credit union has had a partnership with Palmetto Health Foundation since 2002. It began with Palmetto Citizens organizing teams for the annual Walk for Life and Run for Life to support breast cancer research. Over the past few years, the credit union has fielded walk teams of 400 to 500 people, mostly staff and their families. Palmetto Citizens is also an enthusiastic supporter of Palmetto Health Children’s Hospital, raising money for its Radiothon annually.

Outstanding Volunteer Fundraiser Award Barbara and Roger Blau Barbara and Roger Blau were nominated by United Way of the Midlands. The Blaus were co-chairs of the United Way’s Toqueville Society, which honors its most generous givers, in 2010 and 2011. During that time, total giving increased 22% in one year. Roger Blau served as chair of the State Museum Foundation during its Windows to New Worlds campaign, raising $11.5 million. Barbara Blau is very involved in raising funds for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, and was a winner of its Living and Giving Award. Both are very active with Columbia Jewish Day School, Beth Shalom Synagogue and the Columbia Jewish Federation. Barbara also has been on the board of the Greater Columbia Chamber of Commerce and Columbia Opportunity Resource, as well as educational organizations.

Outstanding Philanthropist Award Melissa and Joe Blanchard Melissa and Joe Blanchard were nominated by the Columbia Museum of Art. The couple, who met at the museum, have been involved with Columbia Museum of Art for more than 20 years. Their financial support has been critical to many exhibits, including the highly successful Turner to Cezanne in 2009. They support the annual fund, museum membership and the yearly gala as well as affiliated groups, the Contemporaries and Columbia Design League.

Melissa Blanchard has served on the Board of Trustees, lending fundraising and marketing expertise. Joe Blanchard’s business, Blanchard Machinery, has loaned the museum scissor-lifts and fork-lifts and more to help make installation of large exhibit pieces possible. Their nomination letter says the museum’s recent success would not have been possible without Melissa and Joe Blanchard’s generosity.

Outstanding Fundraising Executive Award Denise Holland Denise Holland was nominated by the Michael J. Mungo Foundation. She has more than 30 years’ experience as a nonprofit executive, the past 15 at Harvest Hope Food Bank, where she is CEO. In a difficult economy, Holland was tasked with expanding the Columbia-based food bank to Florence and Greenville, raising money in new communities and opening distribution warehouses with success. As well, she has led the Midlands operation’s growth to providing more than 39 million pounds of food annually for needy families. She has guided Harvest Hope from its simple beginnings of one location in Columbia to providing help for 20 counties. Doing all this has required expanding the donor base and forming partnerships with more than 450 service organizations. “She never stops working,” her nominators say.

Outstanding Volunteer Group Fundraiser Award Richland Library Friends The Richland Library Friends is a nonprofit organization dedicated to raising support for

8 Giving: Your guide to community giving in the Midlands

library programs and spearheading advocacy efforts on behalf of the library. The Friends are known for their community book sales, which generate about $80,000 a year in revenue for the library. They help raise awareness and organize advocates to support the library through government funding opportunities. In addition, the Friends host special events, such as visits by authors, many of which are open to the public.

The Friends were nominated by library director Melanie Huggins.

Outstanding Youth Group Fundraiser Hammond School Student Body Hammond School’s student body was nominated by Anne Fowler, director of service learning at the school. Hammond’s 900 students are divided into lower, middle and upper schools. Each division, from pre-kindergartners to seniors, raises funds and volunteers for many organizations. They have collected food for Harvest Hope, held blood drives, donated a tree for Palmetto Health Foundation’s Festival of Trees, conducted book drives and bake sales. They have held dance marathons to raise money for charitable work. At other times they visit veterans, collect school supplies for Hurricane Sandy victims, and repair homes through HomeWorks — and that is just the start. All the programs are hands-on and student led, Fowler says.

Outstanding Youth Individual Fundraiser Megan Marie Reardon Megan Reardon was nominated by Fort Jackson Red Cross, where she has volunteered for four years. A student at Ridge View High School, she is vice president of VolunTeens, which promotes the Red Cross mission in the military and local communities. Among her many projects, Megan has chaired a health event for influenza prevention, supported a fire prevention event, raised funds through a gift wrap event and prepared Valentine gift bags for veterans hospital patients. She is trained in CPR and also volunteers with S.C. Special Olympics, Richland Library, Palmetto Animal Assistance Life Service and Girl Scouts.

www.columbiabusinessreport.com

AWARD WINNERS PREVIOUS PHILANTHROPY DAY WINNERS

Since 2006 Outstanding Corporation 2012 - SCANA 2011 - Enterprise Holdings 2010 – B106.7 2009 – Palmetto Health 2008 – Bose 2007 – Publix Super Markets 2006 – Fort Jackson Outstanding Volunteer Fundraiser 2012 - Sharon Bryant and Michael Seezen 2012 - Ron and Hannah Rogers 2011 - Bill McDaniels 2010 – Pamela Lackey and Scott Shockley 2009 – Steve Morrison and Mary Kennemur 2008 – Dr. Charley and Beebe James 2007 – Edward Mullins Jr. 2006 – Judith M. Davis, J.D. Outstanding Youth/Youth Group Fundraiser 2012 – Rotary Club of Vista Night 2011 - Trinity Cathedral Youth Group 2010 – Miss Helen Clay/Airport High School SGA 2009 – Hammond School Red Cross Club 2008 – Spring Valley Homecoming Committee 2007 – Heathwood Hall Episcopal School Outstanding Fundraising Executive 2012 - Kathy Hill, CFRE 2011 -- Mary Balbach 2010 – Anita Floyd 2009 – Love Collins III 2008 – Michael Gray 2007 – James P. LaRose, CFRE 2006 – Ann Akerman Outstanding Philanthropist 2011 - Phillip Edwards 2010 – Mr. and Mrs. William P. Kennedy 2009 – Darla D. Moore 2008 – Dr. Colgate “Coke” W. Darden III 2007 – Thomas Bates 2006 – Louise Rogers Slater Outstanding Volunteer Group Fundraiser 2011 - Women in Philanthropy 2010 – Young Leaders Society 2009 – Colonial Life 2008 – USC Dance Marathon Committee 2007 – Jack & Jill of America Inc. Columbia Chapter 2006 – March for Meals 5K – Riverbanks Steering Committee

www.columbiabusinessreport.com

Giving: Your guide to community giving in the Midlands

9

AWARD WINNERS JOHN FOLSOM NAMED HUMANITARIAN OF YEAR

U

nited Way of the Midlands is pleased to announce the 2013 Humanitarian of the Year — John W. Folsom, president & CEO of Colliers International South Carolina. This award is given each year to an individual who clearly demonstrates extraordinary leadership in philanthropic and human services. It is the highest single honor of philanFolsom thropic achievement in the Midlands.

Folsom has an established track record of investing personal resources and leading efforts for public good. He has supported nonprofits dedicated to health and human services, education and the arts with quiet passion and effective leadership.

A member of United Way’s Tocqueville Society, Folsom has made significant financial contributions to charitable causes in the Midlands. He gives generously of his time as well, having served on the boards of United Way of the Midlands, Providence Hospital, Hammond School, USC’s Moore School of Business, Central Carolina Community Foundation, Carolina Children’s Home and Washington & Lee University.

Folsom has been instrumental in improving the lives of Columbia’s homeless. He has served on the board of directors for the Midlands Housing Alliance, providing leadership for the development of Columbia’s homeless shelter, Transitions.

He helped secure the property for the shelter and solicited individual and corporate gifts to support the construction and sustainability of the site.

His example of philanthropy and leadership has been emulated by his employees at Colliers and his son, Andrew Folsom. Together, they organized the Salute from the Shore, an annual Fourth of July flyover along the coast of South Carolina. The flyover honors our armed forces.

Folsom’s leadership, commitment and generosity to the community have been an inspiration to many. He will be recognized for his contributions at the Humanitarian of the Year Award Dinner on Feb. 27, 2014.

Central Carolina Community Foundation:

a powerful ally for the Midlands

C

entral Carolina Community Foundation emerged as a nonprofit organization in 1984, with a vision to establish itself as the central resource for philanthropy in the Midlands. The vision was developed by several local civic and business leaders who realized that a community foundation would be a powerTurnquist ful ally in developing a caring and appealing community.

Since then, through the generosity of our donors, we have awarded more than $91 million to organizations in the Midlands and beyond. Today the foundation oversees nearly $100 million in funds, and though the numbers may have changed significantly, our mission has remained the same — to promote, facilitate and increase philanthropy within our 11-county service area.

For almost 30 years, the Community Foundation has been the vehicle for philanthropy in the Midlands, distributing grants and scholarships and linking the resources of donors, nonprofits and community leaders to areas of need. In addition to these grants, we have invested time and resources in identifying the critical needs within our community.

This year, our board of trustees embarked on a thoughtful and deliberate process to explore our position in the community and determine the role we will play as we enter our third decade. Through discussions with donors, private and family foundations, professional advisers and friends, we learned that the foundation is valued for its history of service and viewed as a trusted partner in philanthropy.

We also learned that our stakeholders want us to take on an even greater leadership role in educating our community about the importance of giving. So, we ask you to consider the impact that philanthropic work plays in our society – the billions of dollars donated, the programs and services established to benefit the less fortunate, the jobs created, the lives changed. Through philanthropy, we foster civic engagement and improve the quality of life for all people.

We are delighted to help launch Columbia Regional Business Report’s Giving publication. We hope the stories herein will inspire you to consider how you can give back. Not just during the holiday season when giving is naturally on our minds, but as part of the legacy you want to leave for yourself, your family and your community.

JoAnn Turnquist President & CEO Central Carolina Community Foundation

Past Humanitarian of the Year Recipients United Way of the Midlands • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

2012 Mike Brenan 2011 John D. Baker 2010 Cathy B. Novinger 2009 George W. “Bill” Rogers 2008 Martha Scott Smith 2007 Suzan Boyd and Ed Sellers 2006 Bill Cassels and Tobin Cassels 2005 Samuel J. Tenenbaum 2004 Guy F. Lipscomb 2003 Gayle Averyt 2002 Charlotte Lunsford Berry 2001 John W. Fling 2000 Joe Anderson, Joel Smith and Bob Staton 1999 Betty Duffie

10 Giving: Your guide to community giving in the Midlands

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

1998 1997 1996 1995 1994 1993 1992 1991 1990 1989 1988 1987 1986 1985 1984

Major General Robert B. Solomon E. Perry Palmer Joseph L. Pinner Robert L. Blanton Jr. Evan and Cindy Nord B. Palmer McArthur Sister Mary Jacob Jean W. Blount George C. Fant Jr. Frank S. Smith Jr. Virgil C. Summer William R. Ballou J. Willis Cantey O. Stanley Smith Jr. G. Cameron Todd www.columbiabusinessreport.com

AWARD WINNERS

Volunteers at S.C. Mission Midlands prepare to provide free health care. Photo/Kathryn Van Aernum

United Way of the Midlands:

F Bennett

Getting things done

or United Way of the Midlands, “Live United” is more than a slogan or even a call to action. It’s what they do.

In the past year, United Way has recruited over 5,300 volunteers for almost 30,000 hours of service. It has raised a record $10.4 million from 40,000 donors in six counties. And its efforts have returned almost $17 million in value to the communities it serves.

“We recruit the people and organizations who bring the passion, expertise and resources needed to get things done,” said Mac Bennett, president and CEO. “We are committed to creating lasting change around the issues we target.”

Currently, United Way is focusing on helping children enter kindergarten ready to learn and be proficient readers by third grade, as well as reducing homelessness and providing access to affordable health care.

“We know children who don’t read on grade level by fourth grade are four times more likely to drop out of high school,” Bennett said. “To meet that need, we created the Midlands Reading Consortium (MRC), a

www.columbiabusinessreport.com

program that recruits community volunteers to work with at-risk children on a weekly basis and encourage a love of literacy.”

This year, more than 400 volunteers are participating in MRC in 15 different schools in three Midlands school districts. In all three districts, students’ scores improved on average on MAP or Dominie testing.

“We start working with children in MRC in kindergarten, but we know that children are born learning, and by providing assistance early on, we can make huge strides in helping these children succeed in school and in life,” Bennett said.

In addition to MRC, United Way funds programs like Reach Out and Read and Countdown to Kindergarten to encourage literacy by engaging parents as well as children to promote learning-rich environments.

With its focus on homelessness, United Way is linking homeless service providers across the state to share information that will track available resources and client history.

This will allow for better referrals as well as im-

proved analysis of services and housing needs.

Such a system would be one of the first of its kind in the country.

“Any local agency using this system or 2-11 will be able to place those in need with available resources. The system creates a ‘no wrong door approach’ because they will be notified of availability and options,” said Bennett.

Even with the implementation of the Affordable Care Act, there will still be a need for medical care, and United Way is working to fill the gaps and coordinate solutions.

“There is a tremendous need for specialty care like dental and vision, and we’ve been fortunate to provide some of those services with our partners in the community at S.C. Mission Midlands for the past three years,” Bennett said. “There are also some exciting opportunities on the horizon to meet those needs year round instead of once or twice a year.”

S.C. Mission Midlands provided over 5,700 patient encounters over the past three years.

“We couldn’t get it done without our dedicated volunteers and partners in the business and nonprofit communities,” Bennett said.

·

Giving: Your guide to community giving in the Midlands 11

Anelle Anderson, a volunteer from Midlands Tech, works with Payton Clark, a 5-year-old kindergartner, at Harbison West Elementary School, on writing his ABC’s.

12 Giving: Your guide to community giving in the Midlands

www.columbiabusinessreport.com

Mentors help bring reading to life for young students

by MIKE FITTS photographs by JEFF BLAKE

M

entors can provide a vital boost to a young student’s skill and confidence with reading and writing. This partnership also has another, perhaps less expected, benefit: It helps the mentor too.

At seven Boys and Girls Clubs afterschool programs across the Midlands, students help their younger peers with reading. The Literacy Leaders program has set up about 100 students in pairs, with mentors from the third through fifth grades working with younger students.

The younger students are excited to have someone older to work with them, said Carter Clark, CEO for Boys and Girls Clubs of the Midlands. But the mentors are excited too. Staff members see them getting their own homework done in a hurry so they can go work with their younger partners, Clark said.

“It’s as good for the mentor as it is for the mentee,” Clark said.

In working with the younger kids, the older children get the privilege and challenge of being role models. They learn that their behavior has consequences, Clark said. “That’s a very powerful lesson,” he said.

Testing will be done to measure proficiency gains, Clark said, so that the Boys and Girls Clubs can know that the program is having solid results.

The students will work together on

www.columbiabusinessreport.com

reading two or three times per week for 25 to 40 minutes. The program also will supply some books to send home with the children, with help from United Way of the Midlands.

City Year is using young adult mentors to add significant support to help students in Midlands schools where it is needed most. City Year is applying locally the Whole School Whole Child national program, which puts members of City Year’s service corps in the elementary and middle school classrooms all day.

These City Year staffers provide a role model who is just a few years older than the students they help, giving them someone to look up to. They work with students who need extra assistance, as identified by teachers, to make sure that they are attending school, behaving and improving in math and English.

City Year reports that 81% of local students in grades six through nine who were involved in the program while earning a D or F in English improved to a C or better.

Another program that gets children some great one-on-one attention is the Midlands Reading Consortium. A United Way program, the consortium brings community volunteers into schools to give students personal attention with reading.

That provides a powerful boost of

Giving: Your guide to community giving in the Midlands

13

Tom Schlictman, a volunteer from Midlands Tech, reads with Tkayeris Williams, a 5-year-old kindergartner, at Harbison West Elementary School.(top) Anelle Anderson, a volunteer from Midlands Tech, works with Payton Clark, 5, a kindergartner, at Harbison West, on writing his ABCs. (bottom)

support and interaction, according to Arthur Newton Jr., principal of Harbison West Elementary School, which participates in the project. The students who take part come from classrooms with a low student-teacher ratio, 15 to 17 students to an instructor. Even with that advantage, there are great rewards when students from kindergarten through grade 3 sit down with a volunteer tutor, Newton said.

Students get to participate after their teacher’s recommendation, he said. The students look forward to getting 30-45 minutes of reading time with a volunteer tutor, Newton said. Instead of treating reading time as an assignment “kids actually look forward to it,” he said.

Participating as a volunteer tutor with the Midlands Reading Consortium is a great way for people in the community to help out in local schools, and they need no special educational background to take part, Newton noted. “All you have to do is devote your time,” he said.

United Way provides orientation and training for the volunteers.

14 Giving: Your guide to community giving in the Midlands

It’s no surprise to anyone in the Midlands that Richland Library is a major provider of programs that get kids engaged in reading. The library hosts hundreds of programs for children at the main library on Assembly Street and its 10 other branches.

It also is taking its literacy work into the community. It is partnering with the Columbia Housing Authority to bring the Here Comes Kindergarten program to families living in three different parts of Richland County: the Gonzales Garden housing development, the Eau Claire neighborhood and Eastover.

Here Comes Kindergarten seeks to get the whole family engaged and helping as the child learns the building blocks of literacy, according to the library. Families visit the library to enjoy a meal and to work on reading and language skills together. Children get to take some books and school readiness materials home so the learning can continue.

The program is being expanded to the Northeast library branch this fall. There, it also will be offered in Spanish.

·

www.columbiabusinessreport.com

A doctor learns about a young patient’s development by her reaction to a book donated through Reach Out and Read.

Taking on health roadblocks to education

by MIKE FITTS

A

new year at school often holds challenges for children: math problems to solve, homework to complete and books to read. These challenges can become insurmountable if a health issue interferes with learning.

For a child with a health issue, understanding and concentration can become challenges, leaving them falling behind as the class moves ahead. To those striving to address this, the first challenge is to identify children who have these issues. Then a connection has to be made to provide care to the many children who are uninsured.

Luckily, nonprofit organizations around the Midlands have taken on this challenge, serving children whose true educational hurdle might be missed.

Instead, they are using a variety of tactics www.columbiabusinessreport.com

to make sure that children walk through the school doors ready to learn without a health issue in the way.

One program, the Nurse-Family Partnership, is starting early. The program, administered by the First Steps organizations in Richland and Lexington counties, brings nurses into the homes of expectant mothers and those with young children.

The goal: giving them the skills that will help raise successful, healthy children.

In effect, the parents are receiving coaching that makes them better prepared to be the first teachers in their children’s lives, said James Riddle, executive director of Lexington County First Steps.

The home visits are extended to families considered “at risk,” Riddle said. In practice, that means that many of the

program’s clients are single parents, often raising their first child. The program helps teach parents what they need to know about such topics as nutrition, child home safety and parental responsibility. The program also can identify developmental issues that might be a problem once a young child reaches school, such as cognitive or hearing issues.

In short, Riddle said, the program teaches “anything to do with the child’s well-being that the mom and dad simply don’t know.” It is active in and funded by the Midlands school districts, along with grant money, and administered by First Steps.

Riddle notes that the program is among the few trying to improve the lives and educational preparation for children

Giving: Your guide to community giving in the Midlands

15

in South Carolina from birth to age 3.

“There was nothing existing for that population until First Steps,” Riddle said.

Top, Dr. Patti Prince reads with a patient at her office. In the photo above, a Reach Out and Read volunteer listens to a young girl read from her own book. Photos/Courtesy of Reach Out and Read National Center.

Working with school nurses Once children reach school, another nonprofit program works with school nurses who identify a special health challenge facing a child from a family that cannot afford to pay. The Healthy Learners program works with school districts and nurses to coordinate resources to help.

Healthy Learners is a nonprofit affiliated with the Sisters of Charity Health System, the same organization that owns Providence Hospitals. The goal of the statewide program is to get a child’s health issue addressed so they can succeed in school, Executive Director Jo PaulingJones said. “We help them navigate the health care system,” he said.

If a child needs to see a doctor, Healthy Learners will work with the parents to make it happen, using its paid staff to drive the child to the appointment. It also is a help for parents who are working and can’t take time off. Often, she said, conversation between the Healthy Learners staff member and the child will

16 Giving: Your guide to community giving in the Midlands

identify additional issues that need to be addressed.

Providers benefit from the arrangement too, because Healthy Learners does an excellent job of making sure children reach their appointments, avoiding frustration and delay in medical offices. “If we say they’ll be at an appointment, they’ll be there,” Pauling-Jones said.

If a child is not eligible for Medicaid, Healthy Learners will cover the cost of the care and work with school nurses to get the needed information back to parents or guardians. Does a child need reading glasses, help in buying a prescription or treatment for a dental problem? Healthy Learners will use its financial resources to meet those needs, Pauling-Jones said.

Healthy Learners helped more than 700 children in the Midlands receive about 1,500 service visits last year. It raises money from individuals and foundations to help meet these costs, she said.

Reading at the doctor’s office Another nonprofit is working to advance health and education in a different way, by making every child’s visit to the doctor a literacy experience, too. www.columbiabusinessreport.com

Reach Out and Read works with doctors in every county in the state to provide books for children when they make an office visit — more than 120,000 visits last year. When the doctor has a book for the child as soon as they walk in, that can help put a nervous child at ease, said Callee Boulware, executive director of Reach Out and Read Carolinas.

The child’s handling of the book also provides some information to the doctor about where he or she is along the stages of development, she said.

The doctors also get a chance to talk to the parents about the benefits of reading with their children, especially as language skills are forming in the first three years. “It makes parents feel in control of their kids’ lives,” Boulware said. Doctors also enjoy taking part in the program, and some even take time to pick out books they want to send home with their young patients.

Reach Out and Read works with national publishers to buy discounted books. In South Carolina, it is funded by individual and corporate and group donations, including the United Way organizations of the Midlands and Greenville County.

Battling hunger to learn One of the biggest challenges to a child’s education can be a simple but daunting one: The child has not been given enough to eat. Federal school programs, of course, provide free or reduced-price breakfast and lunch for tens of thousands of Midlands children every school day. What happens, though, at dinnertime or on the weekends?

To address that need, Harvest Hope Food Bank provides a BackPack program through schools in its service area in the Midlands and Pee Dee. The project identifies families who need food support, then sends the students home on Friday with a backpack containing enough for seven meals and two snacks. All of this is provided in individual portions, because often children are taking care of themselves while parents or older siblings are working or out of the house, said Brooke Everhart, child feeding program coordinator for Harvest Hope.

Harvest Hope works to provide about 1,300 full backpacks every weekend, almost all to elementary school students, Everhart said. Even that major outreach only scratches the surface of the need, she notes.

All food for this program is purchased, and not taken from the donations flowing through the food bank’s warehouses.

Harvest Hope receives special grants and support dedicated to the project, including from several churches that have adopted schools and pack the backpacks that go home.

Often, the food is helping out the whole family, not just the student. Before one family began receiving its weekly backpack, the only food in the house was an onion and the family was trying to get by on onion broth, Everhart said.

A hungry child is more prone to be distracted or even act out to compensate for the discomfort of hunger, Everhart said. Providing these meals free of charge helps these kids be ready to succeed in school and in life, despite their circumstances.

“No child ever makes a choice to be in poverty,” she said. www.columbiabusinessreport.com

·

Giving: Your guide to community giving in the Midlands

17

A science lesson at EdVenture.

Cultural institutions embrace education

by MIKE FITTS

P

eople in the Midlands think of EdVenture as a building in the Vista containing a huge statue of a boy named “Eddie.” Much of what the nonprofit does to educate the community’s children, however, happens far from the 211 Gervais St. children’s museum.

“We’re the part of the iceberg that’s above the water,” said CEO Catherine Horne of the iconic building. Behind the scenes, EdVenture and other Midlands cultural institutions are working to bring students into their halls or to reach them where they are and get them excited to learn.

The EdVenture building and its exhibits are designed to bring fun to learning about physics, biology and other subjects, and more than 30,000 students in school groups visit during each school year, Horne said. To expand its reach, EdVen-

ture works with students after school, offers remote classroom learning and classes for teacher training.

The afterschool program welcomes almost 800 students around the Midlands, Horne said, the majority in elementary schools. Students get to work on skills in multiple areas such as science, math and even engineering. Many of the programs are free, but some do have fees.

EdVenture reaches out to classrooms in another way: through a two-way video feed during the class day. The video equipment lets an EdVenture teacher see students and be heard as the class covers topics ranging from physics to nutrition.

EdVenture’s teacher training program includes the Hands-On Minds-On program offered each summer, giving teachers five days of training that will help them energize kids with problem-solving chal-

18 Giving: Your guide to community giving in the Midlands

lenges in the fields of science and math.

The Columbia Museum of Art may seem like a more grown-up institution, but it also has numerous programs to support education, starting with the youngest kids. “We like to think of our role as an educational institution as a fundamental part of who we are,” said Dickson Monk, the museum’s communication manager.

Gladys’ Gang is a gallery tour for kids from kindergarteners to age 7 and their adult companions. It also includes studio time for children to experiment with their own creativity. The museum also offers programs specially tailored for young students who are home-schooled.

For schools, the museum often offers educational materials tailored to its temporary exhibitions such as the newly opened photo exhibit: “Annie Liebovitz: Pilgrimage.” Summer camp and art school www.columbiabusinessreport.com

programs also give children chances to learn more about art and to try their hands at new things.

The Nickelodeon Theatre is putting a new emphasis on education and in 2013 has hired a filmmaking veteran, Sherard Duvall, for the new position of director of media education. The Nick’s education efforts are focusing on two areas, Sherard said: literacy in visual arts and teaching filmmaking skills to those who are interested.

The Common Core educational standards include literacy in media, and that’s appropriate because so much of what young people take in comes with the language of movies. “It’s a world of streams,” Duvall said.

Literacy classes help young people understand how cinematic storytelling works and what a director is trying to communicate by how a film is staged and shot, Duvall said. Nickelodeon is building its capacity to work with school groups on field trips and expects to be able to host 150 to 200 students soon, Duvall said.

To teach filmmaking skills, the Nick has created the Helen Hill Education Center, named for the late indie filmmaker.

The Nick has launched the Come Around My Way program to teach filmmaking to students at C.A. Johnson Preparatory Academy. Students are learning the skills of filmmaking and creating and editing their own documentaries. They also will have the opportunity to create public service announcements for a participating nonprofit.

“We treat filmmaking the way museums treat art,” Duvall said.

·

www.columbiabusinessreport.com

Top left and above, children learn in EdVenture’s after school programs. Top right, students paint at the Columbia Museum of Art’s summer camp.

Giving: Your guide to community giving in the Midlands

19

NONPROFIT SPOTLIGHT

MISSION STATEMENT The American Red Cross prevents and alleviates human suffering in the face of emergencies by mobilizing the power of volunteers and generosity of donors.

Name of your organization: American Red Cross Top local executive: Bill Cronin, Executive Director Contact information: 2751 Bull St., Columbia, SC 29201 803-540-1240 Website: http://www.redcross.org/sc/columbia Corporate giving contacts: Adrienne Bellinger 2751 Bull St., Columbia, SC 29201 (803) 540-1220 E-mail: adrienne.bellinger@redcross.org Average number of volunteers in 2013: 475 Total operating budget (2013-2014): $1.5 million Percent of revenue dedicated to program services: 91 cents of every dollar donated goes directly to our programs and services.

Geographic area or specific population served: Central South Carolina including: Richland, Lexington, Calhoun, Orangeburg, Clarendon,Sumter, Lee, Kershaw, Fairfield, Newberry, Saluda counties.

Greatest needs: Financial contributions from new and existing donors.

New volunteers.

Blood donations.

Community partners.

Monetary donations.

natural disasters including Moore, Okla., tornado, flooding in Colorado, and several multiunit apartment fires in Cayce, Columbia and Conway.

The Red Cross in this region responds to a disaster every 6.5 hours.

The Red Cross supports the U.S. military through its Service to Armed Forces program. There were 902 military families sending messages and receiving 1,952 services through our Emergency Communication System.

Also, there were 14 families needing financial services and with our 24hour availability to the military aid societies, the Red Cross was able to purchase flight tickets or wire funds for emergency needs.

2014 Goals: Increase volunteers and financial giving, along with blood donations.

Fundraising events: Clara Barton Major Gifts Campaign Fire Hurts. Red Cross Helps.

Holiday Giving Campaign Ready 365 Ready When the Time Comes Corporate giving opportunities: The Red Cross accepts financial donations throughout the year. Anyone interested in donating can call 1-800-REDCROSS or go to www. redcross.org or mail a check to their local chapter. Corporate donors are encouraged to contact Bill Cronin, Chapter Executive with the Central SC Chapter, or Adrienne Bellinger, Regional Chief Development Officer with the Palmetto SC Region.

Sponsored by

2013 Top achievements: Deployed Red Cross members to several

www.columbiabusinessreport.com

Giving: Your guide to community giving in the Midlands 21

NONPROFIT SPOTLIGHT

MISSION STATEMENT To provide for the needs of struggling people in S.C. communities by gathering and sharing quality food with dignity, compassion and education.

Name of your organization: Harvest Hope Food Bank

Top local executive: Denise Holland - CEO

emergency food boxes and providing food directly to those in need at our Emergency Food Pantries. Volunteering at Harvest Hope is a great community or business team-building opportunity: For more information call (803) 254-4432 and ask about volunteering or visit www.harvesthope. com.

Contact information: P.O. Box 451, Columbia, SC 29202 803-254-4432 Fax: 803-254-6011 Website: www.harvesthope.org

2013 Top achievements: Harvest Hope provided more than 6,504,000 meals to struggling individuals and families in the Midlands in the first eight months of 2013. After three years at our new facility in Greenville, Harvest Hope’s Upstate will open their Emergency Food Pantry in November 2013 and directly provide food to those who ask for help at our own doorsteps.

Corporate giving contacts: Amy Lowery, Donor Relations Director, or Debbie Summers, Volunteer Coordinator P.O. Box 451, Columbia, SC 29202 803-254-4432 E-mail: alowery@harvesthope.org

2014 Goals: Harvest Hope will continue to find ways to gather more food to provide for struggling individuals and families across 20 counties of South Carolina, including right here in the Midlands, and make sure hunger needs are met by anyone facing an empty table. We seek to gather more than 32 million pounds of food to surpass our previous year’s distribution of almost 27 million pounds, as well as increase our meal distribution by one million to provide at least 24,724,398 meals in S.C. Harvest Hope also seeks to increase our green sustainability goals and open a working produce and vegetable farm in 2014.

Year established locally: 1981

Average number of volunteers in 2013: From January through September 2013, Harvest Hope benefitted from the commitment of 3,370 volunteers providing the valuable gift of their time, an average of 374 volunteers every month.

Total operating budget (2013-2014): $7,630,737

Fundraising events: Harvest Hope looks forward to working with the community to gather donated food and funds at Empty Bowls, Food From the Heart, our own Holes for Hope Golf Tournament, Share Your Holiday and many other food drives held by the community throughout 2014.

Percent of revenue dedicated to program services: 98% Geographic area or specific population served: 20 Central S.C. counties Greatest need: Harvest Hope works with the community to gather donations, dedicating 98 cents out of every dollar donated to our mission to provide for struggling families in the community, and can provide five meals for a dollar. Donating is easy at www.harvesthope.com. Harvest Hope also needs volunteers to help with sorting donated food, packing

www.columbiabusinessreport.com

Corporate giving opportunities: Empty Bowls – Feb. 7, 2014, Annual Silent Auction and Fundraising Gala Contact: Amy Lowery 803-254-4432 ext. 1143 Pack 2 Feed – All year - A great opportunity for companies or organizations to have an in-house volunteer effort. Harvest Hope will deliver food and boxes for packing at your location and then pick up completed boxes to distribute in our own Midlands communities.

Holes for Hope Charity Golf Tournament – Sept. 22, 2014 Contact: Tammy Huddle 803-254-4432 ext. 1111

Giving: Your guide to community giving in the Midlands 23

FIRST. Heart Program in the Midlands Since 1974, the teams at Providence Heart & Vascular Institute have touched more than 130,000 hearts—through open-heart surgeries and cardiac catheterizations, with some of the nation’s best results.

ONLY. TAVR Program in the Midlands Providence is the first and only hospital with Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR). This means that patients who are too sick for open-chest surgery now have a potential valve replacement option.

BEST. Quality Rating for Total Joint Replacement Facility Providence Hospital Northeast was selected as an Aetna Institute of Quality® Orthopedic Care Facility for total joint replacement surgery—consistently meeting or exceeding recognized standards for clinical outcomes, processes of care and patient safety.

OUR RECORD MEANS A HIGHER STANDARD FOR YOUR CARE. -PUK V\[ TVYL H[ WYV]PKLUJLOVZWP[HSZ JVT

NONPROFIT SPOTLIGHT

MISSION STATEMENT In the spirit of the Sisters of Charity of St. Augustine, Providence Hospitals extends the healing ministry of Jesus Christ to God’s people.

Name of your organization: Providence Hospitals Year established locally: 1938 Top local executive: George Zara, President & CEO Contact information: 2435 Forest Drive, Columbia, S.C. 29204 803-256-5300 Fax: 803-256-0361 Website: www.providencehospitals.com Corporate giving contacts: Libby Anne Inabinet, President, Providence Hospitals Development Foundation 2749 Laurel St., Columbia, S.C. 29204 803-217-0505 E-mail: libbyanne.inabinet@providencehospitals.com Average number of volunteers in 2013: 175 Total operating budget (2013-2014): $518,878,102 – a break even budget Percent of revenue dedicated to program services: 98% Geographic area or specific population served: Providence Hospitals serves patients from across the entire state of South Carolina and all over the country, although our primary service area is Richland and Lexington Counties.

Greatest need: Providence Hospitals was built in 1938 out of sacrificial acts of generosity from a local businessman, the Catholic Church and the Sisters of Charity of St. Augustine. Today, its support has broadened and is forged from all who may need Providence Hospitals’ care and who believe in Providence’s dynamic vision. Providence Hospitals looks outward to the state of South Carolina and beyond.

When you choose to give to Providence Hospitals Development Foundation, you are contributing to Providence Hospitals’ culture of excellence as a high-quality health care provider, as well as the unique attributes and vision that make Providence a distinctive organization for health and wellness. Your participation matters to us because it demonstrates your belief in our ability to take care of our neighbors and improve the lives of everyone we touch.

2014 Goals: Providence Hospitals is focused on being a market leader in three primary www.columbiabusinessreport.com

service areas—cardiovascular care, orthopedic services and outpatient/ physician network services—by delivering compassionate health care that exhibits quality, service excellence, safety and efficiency.

Fundraising events: Providence Heart & Sole Women’s Five Miler (April 26, 2014): This premier women’s only event attracted more than 2,200 fabulous females from all across South Carolina and neighboring states. The event promotes awareness about heart disease in women and in 2014 will raise funds to support women’s heart services at Providence Heart and Vascular Institute.

Individual Giving Opportunities: Augustine Society: recognizes Providence Hospitals’ most generous donors who invest $1,000 or more annually in Providence Hospitals.

By joining the Augustine Society, you join a long tradition of commitment to the Sisters of Charity of St. Augustine and their faithful work in South Carolina. Your investment will help ensure that Providence Hospitals’ lifesaving, faith-based services are here to serve you and your family for years to come.

Guardian Angel: patients and/or patient families are given the opportunity to make a donation of any size to the Providence Hospitals Development Foundation in honor of a special caregiver who made a positive impact on their hospital experience.

Corporate Giving Opportunities: • Augustine Society Recognition Event – corporate sponsorships range from $1,000-$50,000.

• Providence Cooks! – $500 will sponsor a healthy cooking class for 1520 people.

• HOCM screenings – $50 will sponsor one athlete. Corporations may sponsor any number of athletes ages 13-25. Hypertrophic • Cardiomyopathy (HOCM) is the leading cause of sudden cardiac arrest in young athletes. HOCM is responsible for 36% of deaths in young athletes, and 90% of these deaths occur during athletic activities.

• Cardiovascular Health Screenings – $150 will sponsor one person. Quick and non-invasive vascular screening for men and women provided by the School of Cardiovascular Diagnostics at Providence Hospital includes carotid ultrasound allowing abnormalities to be seen within the carotid arteries, ankle-brachial index to help identify the presence of peripheral artery disease and an echocardiogram to obtain ultrasound images of the heart to examine structure, movement and blood flow.

Giving: Your guide to community giving in the Midlands 25

NONPROFIT SPOTLIGHT

MISSION STATEMENT The Nancy K. Perry Children’s Shelter exists to provide residential care and nurture to children who are in crisis because of sexual or physical abuse, neglect, abandonment, exploitation or caregiver emergency.

Name of your organization: The Nancy K. Perry Children’s Shelter Year established locally: 1972

Fundraising events: Rocketman - Elton John Tribute Concert, the Koger Center, Columbia, Jan. 18, 2014, 7:30 pm.

Top local executive: Jarrell M. Smith, Ph.D. Contact information: P.O. Box 344, Lexington, S.C. 29071 803-359-8595 803-359-8518 Website: www.nkp4kids.org Email: jsmith@nkp4kids.org Corporate giving contacts: Jarrell M. Smith, PhD, Executive Director P.O. Box 344, Lexington, S.C. 29071 803-359-8595 E-mail: jsmith@nkp4kids.org

Corporate giving opportunities: The Woman’s Club of Cayce Presents 3rd ANNUAL TOKYO JOE PRODUCTIONS ELTON JOHN TRIBUTE CONCERT to Benefit the NANCY K. PERRY CHILDREN’S SHELTER We solicit your support and invite you to join us, The Woman’s Club of Cayce, in presenting an Elton John Tribute Concert, by Tokyo Joe Productions. All proceeds will benefit Nancy K. Perry Children’s Shelter, http://www.nkp4kids. org/index.php. You may preview a sample of the show on the Internet at: http://www.rocketmantribute.com/ We are booking the show for Jan. 18, 2014, at the Koger Center, in Columbia at 7:30 p.m. We are anticipating a sellout on 2,000 seats, at $21 - $26 per ticket. We will advertise on radio, newspapers, billboards and Facebook.

Average number of volunteers in 2013: 10 Total operating budget (2013-2014): $398,173 Percent of revenue dedicated to program services: 80% Geographic area or specific population served: Lexington County Greatest need: To further develop our relationship with community businesses, churches, civic clubs and citizens.

2014 SPONSORSHIP LEVELS: England - $5,000 • New York - $2,500 • Hollywood - $1,000 • Las Vegas - $500 • Friend - $100 Many benefits and advertising opportunities are provided at each sponsorship level. If you are interested in tickets or being a sponsor at some level, call Vickie Lovett at 803-739-2275 or the Nancy K. Perry Children’s Shelter at 803-359-8595.

The Lexington Business Exchange (LBX) 7th Annual Bowling Tournament This year’s 7th Annual “Bowling for the Children” fundraising event will be held at Lexington Bowling Alley on U.S. Highway 1 in May 2014. Several hundred local residents attend in an evening of fun. There are raffles and events for the whole family. Business, corporate and individual sponsors are solicited and needed. To sponsor, call Ted Sutton of Sutton & Sons Realty at 803-606-4747 or the Shelter at 803-359-8595.

A great group of local professional business people meet for breakfast every Thursday morning from 8-9 a.m. at the Flight Deck restaurant in Lexington.

Over the past six years, this group has generously added numerous on-site projects to the Shelter and has raised a total in excess of $50,000 during their previous six annual “Bowling for the Children” fundraisers.

2013 Top achievements: Corporate donors (Southeastern Freight) furnished and redecorated the homework program /computer room. Colonial Life Insurance’s Volunteer of the Year named the Nancy K. Perry Children’s Shelter as his charity of choice, which enabled us to receive a cash award from the company. We have achieved a greatly improved level of mental health services for the children from a gift from Lexington Medical Center.

2014 Goals: To continue to increase mental health services for the children.

To maintain facility in excellent condition.

To increase ways of raising funds.

To continue to provide home-like, loving and supportive environment to each child in our care.

To provide a life-changing experience for each child who spends time with us.

To further develop our relationship with community businesses, churches, civic clubs and citizens.

www.columbiabusinessreport.com

Sponsored by

Giving: Your guide to community giving in the Midlands 27

NONPROFIT SPOTLIGHT

MISSION STATEMENT Engaging community partners to enhance health care for patients and families served by Palmetto Health Name of your organization: Palmetto Health Foundation Year established locally: 2000, after the merger of the Baptist Medical Center Foundation and the Richland Memorial Hospital Foundation Top local executive: Samuel J. Tenenbaum, President Contact information: 1600 Marion St., Columbia, SC 29201 803-434-7275 Fax: 803-434-2815 Website: PalmettoHealthFoundation.org Corporate giving contacts: Samuel J. Tenenbaum, President 1600 Marion St., Columbia 803-434-7275 E-mail: Sam.Tenenbaum@PalmettoHealth.org

2013 Top achievements: In fiscal year 2012, Palmetto Health Foundation raised $6.5 million for Palmetto Health. Funding distributions included: • $1.46 million was spent on the latest health care equipment and upgrades at Palmetto Health Cancer Centers.

• $1 million was spent on Palmetto Health Children’s Hospital programs and services.

• More than $1 million was raised through Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals partners and events.

• $434,000 helped purchase two digital mammography units and two ultrasound systems at Palmetto Health Breast Center.

2014 Goals: Palmetto Health Foundation plans to make funding distributions totaling more than $3.1 million to Palmetto Health for: patient care and clinical performance equipment upgrades expansion of programs and services in the areas of Children’s Hospital, Breast Health, Women’s Services, Heart Hospital, Surgery, Palmetto Health Baptist Parkridge, Trauma, Cancer Services and other programs.

Average number of volunteers in 2013: 194 Total operating budget (2013-2014): $3.8 million Percent of revenue dedicated to program services: Out of every dollar raised through Palmetto Health Foundation, 96 cents was spent on programs and services vital to the mission of Palmetto Health. (based on fiscal year 2012 data) Geographic area or specific population served: In fiscal year 2012, Palmetto Health Foundation had 13,655 donors from various areas of the United States, with the majority from South Carolina and the Midlands.

Greatest need: Community support to raise funds for programs and services offered at Palmetto Health, the largest and most comprehensive, integrated health care system in the Midlands.

www.columbiabusinessreport.com

Fundraising events: • Festival of Trees, benefiting Palmetto Health Children’s Hospital Nov. 22-24, 2013, Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center • KEMOPALOOZA, benefiting CAMP KEMO Programs of Palmetto Health Children’s Hospital April 11, 2014, EdVenture Children’s Museum • McDaniels Golf Classic, benefiting Palmetto Health Cancer Centers April 24, 2014, auction at The Zone April 25, 2014, tournament at Fort Jackson Golf Club • Walk for Life/Race for Life, benefiting Palmetto Health Breast Center Oct. 4, 2014, Finlay Park Corporate giving opportunities: Sponsorship opportunities are available for all signature fundraising events listed above. Corporate gifts also can be applied to designated areas of Palmetto Health.

Giving: Your guide to community giving in the Midlands 29

NONPROFIT SPOTLIGHT

MISSION STATEMENT Through family, child care providers, and community involvement, RCFS will assist children to reach school, healthy and ready to learn.

Name of your organization: Richland County First Steps to School Readiness Partnership Year established locally: 2000 Top local executive: Rick Noble, CEO Contact information: Rick Noble 2008 Marion St., Suite B, Columbia, SC 29201 803-256-7237 Fax: 803-212-4205 Website: www.rcfirststeps.org

workers) to help them improve their parenting and caregiving skills so that they have the ability and confidence to nurture the child’s brain development and help him/her grow into a healthy and capable young person, one who is ready for school and a successful childhood.

2013 Top achievements: Richland County First Steps: • served 2,444 children • delivered more than 16,000 hours of technical assistance and/or home visits • distributed more than 1,700 books as part of our literacy program • worked with 59 child care providers and Early Head Start Centers • trained 631 child care staff • conducted more than 530 group training hours

Average number of volunteers in 2013: 67 Total operating budget (2013-2014): $2,450,524

Also, we received funding for a Mentoring Initiative where “Seeing is Believing” for low-quality child care centers to partner with high-quality child care centers to improve child care practices.

Percent of revenue dedicated to program services: 95% Geographic area or specific population served: Richland County Greatest need: The first three years of a child’s life are the most critical period for development of their human potential (cognitive, socialemotional, health, motor skills, language, early literacy).

RCFS works with the people who are the first and best teachers of each child: the parents, extended family and other caregivers (child care

www.columbiabusinessreport.com

2014 Goals: • Open two additional Early Head Start classrooms • Expand and improve Mentoring Initiative • Continue to reach the most at-risk children and families through our four quality programs (Early Head Start, Parents as Teachers, Nurse-Family Partnership and Excellence in Care and Early Learning).

Corporate giving opportunities: United Way of the Midlands

Giving: Your guide to community giving in the Midlands 31

“Once you learn to read, you will be forever free.”

Frederick Douglass

LEVERAGING

LITERACY

Bright futures are built on solid foundations and literacy is an essential skill to developing academic success. Providing our children with the tools they need to succeed is the mission of The Salvation Army’s Leveraging Literacy program. Through the support of concerned citizens, Women in Philanthropy, and United Way of the Midlands, we are able to lend a hand to children who have fallen behind in developing their reading skills. We offer small group and individual instruction to children to teach reading and comprehension skills. “The foundation of any educational endeavor centers around literacy. When children cannot read effectively, it makes the entirety of their educational career an uphill battle instead of a joy,” says Roberta Hairston, Lead Teacher of the literacy program. “It is a blessing and an immense privilege to have the opportunity {to} project our excitement about literacy upon young, impressionable minds.”

NONPROFIT SPOTLIGHT

MISSION STATEMENT The Salvation Army, an international movement, is an evangelical part of the universal Christian Church. Its message is based on the Bible. Its ministry is motivated by the love of God. Its mission is to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ and to meet human needs in His name without discrimination.

Name of your organization: The Salvation Army of the Midlands Year established locally: 1906 Top local executive: Major Roger Coulson Contact information: 3024 Farrow Road, Columbia, S.C. 29203 803-309-6435 Fax: 866-521-4945 Website: www.DoingtheMostGood.org

us to continue providing life-changing programs and services to local people in need. This Christmas season, unwrapped toys are needed to assist local children.

2013 Top achievements: Assisting 248 children, a record number, with back to school clothes, sneakers and supplies through the Clothes for Kids program; sending 87 children to a weeklong summer camp in Denton, N.C.; seeing significant improvements in the lives of students who attend the Leveraging Literacy afternoon reading program; partnering with Transitions to continue meals service to the homeless and hungry, serving breakfast, lunch and supper seven days a week.

Corporate giving contacts: Major Roger Coulson, Regional Coordinator P.O. Box 2786, Columbia, S.C. 29202 803-309-6435 E-mail: roger_coulson@uss.salvationarmy.org Average number of volunteers in 2013: 2,000+ The Salvation Army has many volunteer opportunities, including serving meals to the homeless, helping at the Family Store, ringing bells, and assembling gift bags/boxes and distributing toys at the Christmas warehouse.

Total operating budget (2013-2014): Midlands actual expenses for FY 2013 are $3,243,321.46.

Percent of revenue dedicated to program services: For Fiscal Year 2012, 83.63% of revenue is dedicated to program services.

Geographic area or specific population served: The Midlands, including Richland, Lexington, Fairfield, Newberry and Kershaw counties.

Greatest need: Funds to meet all the requests for service, funds to expand services to youth, and funds to deal with the issue of homelessness for individuals and families. Financial donations allow

2014 Goals: Growing the Leveraging Literacy afternoon reading program, continuing to provide and increase funding for permanent housing for the homeless, increasing capacity to provide emergency assistance, including food pantry, rent for families facing eviction or utility cutoff, including water, electric, and gas.

Fundraising events: The Salvation Army’s annual Red Kettle Campaign kicks off on Nov. 22 and concludes on Dec. 24. Look for Salvation Army bell ringers in front of Walmart and Sam’s Club store locations beginning on Nov. 29 through Dec. 24. Businesses, churches and other organizations are invited to host toy drives to benefit the local children we will help this Christmas season. Unwrapped toys are due on Dec. 9.

Corporate giving opportunities: Donations are needed to help local people with emergency assistance. During the Christmas season, we request that you adopt angels, fill stockings, dress bears, and/ or sponsor a toy drive at your office, church, or business to help local children in need.

Programs supported by:

www.columbiabusinessreport.com

Giving: Your guide to community giving in the Midlands 33

NONPROFIT SPOTLIGHT

MISSION STATEMENT To improve the health and economic well being of individuals, communities, and the state of South Carolina by preventing teen pregnancy.

Name of your organization: South Carolina Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy Year established locally: 1994, established as a statewide organization with headquarters in Columbia.

Top local executive: Forrest L. Alton, Chief Executive Officer Contact information: 1331 Elmwood Ave., Suite 140, Columbia, SC 29201 803-771-7700 Fax: (803) 771-6916 Website: www.teenpregnancysc.org Corporate giving contacts: Gwen Baker, Chief Operating Officer 1331 Elmwood Ave., Suite 140, Columbia, SC 29201 803- 771-7700 E-mail: gbaker@teenpregnancysc.org Cayci Banks, Director of Communications 1331 Elmwood Ave., Suite 140, Columbia, SC 29201 803-771-7700 E-mail: cbanks@teenpregnancysc.org Total operating budget (2013-2014): $5,200,000 Percent of revenue dedicated to program services: 87% Geographic area or specific population served: The S.C. Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy provides programs, services and outreach efforts that touch all 46 counties in the state. Our populations served include parents, school staff, faith leaders, medical professionals, business leaders, and, of course, young people.

Greatest need: The progress that has been made on the issue of teen pregnancy over the last two decades has been nothing short of remarkable.

As we move forward and continue striving to make progress on this complex issue it is important that people continue to understand that the issue of teen pregnancy is far from being solved, and that we still have a lot of work to do.

We need your time, your talents and your continued investment in this issue.

2013 Top achievements: 2014 marks the 20th Anniversary of the S.C. Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy. Remarkably, since the organization’s inception, the teen birth rate in our state has decreased by 47%! This is an amazing accomplishment and one that will be celebrated throughout the year.

• Since July 2012, the organization has re-granted more than $2,000,000 of its operating budget back into local communities through grants made to school and community-based organizations. This investment, coupled with a www.columbiabusinessreport.com

focus on increasing the capacity of individuals, organizations and communities to address the issue of teen pregnancy, is making a difference.

• The organization also made a considerable investment in new technology in 2013, which included the creation of a first-of-its-kind website for young people and their families (“Not Right Now, Put Pregnancy on Pause”), and a re-design of its corporate website (www.teenpregnancysc.org). Stay tuned as both of these new web products will be launching in early 2014.

• Partnerships continue to increase in scope with schools and community based organizations across the state. Notably, in 2013 our outreach to campuses of higher education increased dramatically in an effort to more adequately target older teens (18- to 19-year-olds), a population historically left behind in this conversation, but one that accounts for more than two-thirds of all teen births in our state annually.

2014 Goals: Our goals for the coming year come directly from our five year strategic plan (2009-2014). They are to ensure that: • High quality teen pregnancy prevention programs and services are available to South Carolina youth.

• High priority youth have access to teen pregnancy prevention services tailored to their unique needs.

• Public schools are delivering age-appropriate, science-based teen pregnancy prevention programs.

• Young people who are sexually active have access to contraception • Parents and trusted adults are having open and honest conversations with their children about love, sex and relationships.

Fundraising events: 20th Anniversary Celebration May 7, 2014 Columbia Museum of Art Come celebrate with us and help us to honor the “20 Most Significant People and Events of our First 20 Years.”

Corporate giving opportunities: • 20th Anniversary Celebration – corporate sponsorships and ticket packages available • Summer Institute – a gathering of 350-plus educators and youth serving professionals from around the state. Corporate sponsorships, vendor opportunities and advertising spaces are all available for this event.

• Training and Educational Programs – host a workplace lunch-and-learn for your employees, provide funding to support scholarships to the Summer Institute, or sponsor training for the staff at your community’s school.

Giving: Your guide to community giving in the Midlands 35

NONPROFIT SPOTLIGHT

MISSION STATEMENT Seeking to put God’s love into action, Central South Carolina Habitat for Humanity brings people together to build homes, communities, and hope.

Name of your organization: Central S.C. Habitat for Humanity Year established locally: 1985 Top local executive: Roy Kramer Contact information: 209 S. Sumter St., Columbia, SC 29201 803-252-3570 Fax: 803-252-7525 Website: www.habitatcsc.org Corporate giving contacts: Allison Kirby, Director of Development 209 S. Sumter St., Columbia, SC 29201 803-252-3570 ext. 2101 E-mail: akirby@habitatcsc.org

holders) and welcomed 17 new partner families into our program.

2014 Goals: The upcoming year will be a transformational time for Central SC Habitat for Humanity. With a continued focus on strengthening our internal operations, Cent ralSout h Carcapacity olinaand service-delivery, we have a much focused external agenda that includes: Relocating the ReStore to a new location, providing for expanded donation and shopping hours and improved customer access.

Continuing to address the needs of neighborhoods, not just individual homes, in order to build thriving communities.

Strengthening Central SC Habitat for Humanity as a leading voice for affordable housing solutions in our community.

Average number of volunteers in 2013: 1,000+ Volunteers are the cornerstone of our ministry and are an essential component of our operations and activities. There are many ways to get involved at Central S.C. Habitat for Humanity and experience is not necessary. From participating on our build sites to working at our ReStore, there are volunteer opportunities for people ages 14 and up who are committed to alleviating poverty housing in the Midlands.

Total operating budget (2013-2014): $1.7 million Percent of revenue dedicated to program services: 95% of our revenue is dedicated to program services.

Geographic area or specific population served: The Midlands, including Richland, Lexington and Fairfield counties.

Greatest need: Our single greatest need is for unrestricted funds to support our operations which allow us to expand our work in the Midlands.

Financial donations are just as important to our ministry as picking up a hammer.

2013 Top achievements: Central SC Habitat for Humanity was recognized as a Neighborhood Revitalization Initiative (NRI) affiliate

by Habitat for Humanity International which means that our focus has broadened from not just building houses, but also to serving entire neighborhoods. As an NRI affiliate, when we build or renovate a home, we survey the entire block to identify needs of existing homeowners and find ways in which we can partner to build a thriving neighborhood. Exterior repairs, weatherization and yard clean-up have been some of the ways Habitat is literally changing the landscape in which we operate.

Fundraising events: An Evening with Habitat - Dinner and Silent Auction will be held on Thursday, March 20, 2014, 6-10 p.m. at 701 Whaley in Columbia. This is our signature fundraising event that supports Central SC Habitat for Humanity’s housing ministry. Tickets are $50/person and table sponsorships are available for $1,000.

May 7, 2014, marks the first day of our Women BUILD 2014 project which will bring together women from all walks of life to build a home from the ground up for a family in need.

Corporate giving opportunities: Corporate sponsorship opportunities are now available for our 2014 build projects, including the WomenBUILD in May 2014, as well as our signature fundraising event – An Evening with Habitat on March 20, 2014.

All levels of corporate giving for our build projects include guaranteed volunteer opportunities for your employees as well as recognition and publicity of your donation and involvement.

Table sponsorships for An Evening with Habitat include eight tickets to the event as well as recognition and publicity.

Sponsored by

In addition to the 25+ households we served as an NRI affiliate, in 2013, Central SC Habitat for Humanity served 188 households (current mortgage

36 Giving: Your guide to community giving in the Midlands

www.columbiabusinessreport.com

NONPROFIT SPOTLIGHT

MISSION STATEMENT City Year is an education-focused nonprofit organization that partners with public schools to keep students in school and on track to graduation. In Columbia, and 24 other communities across the United States, this innovative public-private partnership brings together teams of young AmeriCorps members who commit to a year of full-time service in schools. Corps members provide individual support to students who need extra care and attention, focusing on attendance, behavior, and course performance through in-class tutoring, mentoring, and after school programs.

Name of your organization: City Year Columbia Year established locally: 1993 Top local executive: Gail Wilson-Giarratano, Executive Director and Vice President Contact information: 1122 Lady St., Suite 600, Columbia, SC 29201 803-254-3349 Fax: 803-254-1297 Website: https://www.cityyear.org/columbia Corporate giving contacts: Rachel DeFoe, Development & Operations Coordinator 1122 Lady St., Suite 600, Columbia, SC 29102 803-254-3349, ext. 2223 E-mail: rdefoe@cityyear.org Average number of volunteers in 2013: 300 Total operating budget (2013-2014): $1,152,029 Percent of revenue dedicated to program services: 79% Geographic area or specific population served: Richland and Lexington counties Greatest need: City Year Columbia’s greatest need is sponsorship and donations in order to expand our reach in the Eau Claire Neighborhood, where 40% of people live in poverty. City Year already serves in Hyatt Park Elementary and Heyward Gibbes Middle School, both located in the Eau Claire Neighborhood, but our long-term impact goals are to fully permeate the area’s school feeder pattern so our corps members work with the most students in the direst of need.

2013 Top achievements: • 93% of teachers agreed that City Year corps members helped improve students’ respectfulness toward one another • 81% of students in grades 6-9 earning a D or worse in English improved to a C or better • 100% of principals agreed or strongly agreed that City Year corps members had a positive impact on the respect that students exhibit to their peers.

strategically created focus lists • Maintain and improve impact statistics from 2013 • Continue to provide positive impact to the communities we serve Fundraising events: • “I Believe” Reception for the Legal Community: Nov 12, 2013, 6 p.m. at the USC School of Law • Annual Ripples of Hope Gala 2014: March 2014 Corporate giving opportunities: All information can be found on our website at http://cityyear.org/CityYear/_Local/Columbia/5_Ways_to_Give/ Ways_to_Give.aspx Individual Giving: Make a secure online donation to City Year Columbia.

Make a contribution via mail. Please send a check made payable to City Year Columbia to: City Year Columbia, 1122 Lady St., Suite 600, Columbia, South Carolina 29201 Team Sponsorship: As a team sponsor, your organization will support a team of 4 to 8 City Year corps members. The Team Sponsor Program is City Year Columbia’s premier partnership opportunity and each team proudly wears their sponsor’s logo on their City Year red jackets as a visible sign of our partners’ commitment to the community. You will work with our service partners and your City Year team to address community issues and develop bonds with the communities of Columbia. In addition, your team sponsorship will give your employees the opportunity to serve their communities in exciting and innovative ways.

Sponsored by

2014 Goals: • Log more than 41,000 service hours in the schools we serve • Provide more than 350 students with on-on-one attention through www.columbiabusinessreport.com

Giving: Your guide to community giving in the Midlands 37

HELPING OUT

Volunteers help spruce up the Family Shelter during United Way’s Day of Action.

NBSC’s volunteer team does landscaping work at Carolina Children’s Home.

Photos/Courtesy of United Way of the Midlands

Columbia

Day of Action United Way of the Midlands hosted its fall Day of Action on Sept. 20. More than 400 volunteers worked at 35 nonprofits, contributing a volunteer value of $26,558 to our community in one day. Publix Super Markets organized the largest company team, with more than 50 volunteers working at Richland Library. That same week, United Way sponsored a Literacy Live event at EdVenture, celebrating the value of reading and writing and providing information on groups that help children learn. For more volunteer opportunities throughout the year, visit uway.org/volunteer.

38 Giving: Your guide to community giving in the Midlands

www.columbiabusinessreport.com

HELPING OUT

A volunteer from Publix shelves books at Richland Library downtown.

NBSC employees packed 360 boxes at Harvest Hope Food Bank and assembled more boxes for others to fill.

Photos/SC Biz News

Children and their families line up to receive free items at United Way’s Literacy Live event at EdVenture.

Photos/United Way and SC Biz News

The band, Like Totally, has children dancing at Literacy Live. www.columbiabusinessreport.com

A little girl shows off her face painting at Literacy Live.

Richland Library and many other organizations offer information on their programs at Literacy Live.

Giving: Your guide to community giving in the Midlands 39