By HEATHER WALTERS
At least one group that is helping to serve food to some of Colleton’s most needy residents has received a financial boost in the latest round of grant money that is coming from a special pocket of federal funds related to COVID-19, the contagious respiratory virus.
The Community Foundation of the Lowcountry has awarded nearly $100,000 to 13 different organizations throughout the greater Lowcountry. This money is part of the latest round of grant funds to be handed out as part of an ongoing COVID-19 relief effort. In all, The Community Foundation has handed out grant money in nine different grant cycles, all during the last year.
“Unfortunately, this round has exhausted the money in the fund at a time we continue to see a tremendous need in our community, especially in the areas of food and shelter insecurity. In fact, for this round of grantmaking, we received requests from 35 nonprofits, totaling more than $600,000,” said Jean Heyduck, vice president for Marketing and Communications for The Community Foundation of the Lowcountry.
Heyduck said the needs of the overall community continue to rise. Because of this, the foundation is still accepting donations so they can continue to offer funds through future grant cycles.
“ … Our COVID fund is still accepting donations that will be immediately deployed to the organizations in this round that we were unable to help,” she said.
To date, the non-profit organization has awarded $655,481 in COVID-19 Response Funds to 43 organizations. Each of these 43 organizations are within the Lowcountry, including Colleton County and neighboring Beaufort, Hampton and Jasper counties.
As the state has just seen its second spike in positive COVID-19 cases, the pandemic’s effects on the Lowcountry are not ceasing. “We continue to see individuals and families face ongoing challenges, particularly with food and housing insecurity. In fact, for a variety of reasons, those needs have increased as the pandemic has persisted,” said Scott Wierman, CEO of The Community Foundation. “Food insecurity in the rural areas of our service area is especially acute. Many of the grants awarded during this cycle will put food on the tables of struggling families.”
Each of the groups who received money in the latest grant-giving cycle were focused on providing food to those who are hungry. Only one of the groups who were selected are focused on Colleton County – the Lowcountry Food Bank. Each of the other recipients are helping the hungry in neighboring counties.
With its latest grant awards given out, The Community Foundation’s COVID-relief fund is now depleted, according to Wierman. However, the organization wants to continue to divvy out funds for those in need. Because of this, the group’s leaders are asking for more donations to their COVID-19 relief efforts.
“We want to continue to support COVID relief efforts. We realize that many people have ‘COVID fatigue’ and simply want this to be over. But for our neighbors who are still facing extreme challenges, we hope our community feels compelled to continue to help,” said Wierman. “The fund is still open and accepting donations and those dollars will be deployed immediately to the organizations that did not receive funding during this round of grantmaking because the money ran out.”
Donations to the Lowcountry Community COVID-19 Response Fund can be made online at https://cflowcountry.civicore.com/covid or by check, mailed to Community Foundation of the Lowcountry, with “COVID” on the memo line.
Grant Winners Who Are Helping the Hungry
The following organizations received money from The Community Foundation in its latest grant-giving round, which ended in February.
The Antioch Educational Center (Beaufort, Hampton and Jasper Counties) was awarded $6,500 for food to be given to Jasper County food pantries;
The Bluffton Community Food Kitchen (Beaufort County) received $7,000 to purchase healthy food to provide to clients who are facing food insecurity;
Bluffton Self Help (Beaufort County) received $7,000 to purchase healthy food to provide to clients who are facing food insecurity;
First Estill Baptist Church (Hampton County) was awarded $4,600 to purchase food and essential products for residents of Hampton County;
Greater Faith International Ministries (Hampton County) was awarded $3,500 to purchase food and essential products for residents of Hampton County;
Hampton United Methodist Church (Hampton County) was awarded $10,000 to provide food to children and families experiencing food insecurity in Hampton County, through their Backpack Buddies Program;
Healing Waters Mission & Wellness Center (Beaufort and Jasper Counties) received $4,500 to purchase food for Jasper and Beaufort County residents who are facing food insecurity;
Love Abound CDC (Hampton and Jasper Counties) was awarded $3,500 to provide food for food insecure residents of Hampton County;
Lowcountry Food Bank (Beaufort, Colleton, Hampton and Jasper Counties) received $20,000 to purchase food to be distributed to partner agencies in Beaufort, Colleton, Hampton and Jasper Counties;
Marshview Community Organic Farms (Beaufort County) was awarded $10,800 to purchase food for their home cooked meal and fresh produce distribution program for food insecure residents in Beaufort;
New Destiny Center Inc. (Jasper County) was awarded $5,500 to purchase food for their food distribution program for food insecure residents of Jasper and Beaufort Counties;
Partners in Transition, Inc. (Beaufort and Jasper Counties) was awarded $6,500 for food to be distributed to low-income residents of Jasper County;
Women of Faith and Power Ministries (Beaufort and Jasper Counties) received $10,000 for emergency assistance to homeless individuals and/or families.
