Darlington Community Foundation donates over $631,000 to the Darlington County community
Since its inception in October 2020 by Genesis Health Care, Inc. Darlington Community Foundation (formerly Genesis Community Foundation) has donated over $631,000 dollars to the Darlington County community.
Some recipient organizations were: Harvest Hope Food Bank $55,000; Carolina Kids $20,000; Darlington Community Soup Kitchen $20,000; New Vision CDC $10,000; Darlington Chamber of Commerce $10,000; And Still We Rise $5,000; The Lord Cares $10,000; Man2Man Ministries $5,000; Child & Family Resources Healing Hearts Camp $500; City of Darlington Health Fair $500; Darlington County Free Medical Clinic $10,000; Darlington Veterans Memorial $5,000; City of Darlington Beautification Board $3000; House of Hope $2,000; House of Refuge $2,000; Wegoja Foundation $1,000; Terrance Carraway Foundation $2,000; The Grand Old Post Office $500; 2 Florence-Darlington Technical College students $4,000; and Character Education Grants totaling $470,000 were given to 41 churches in Darlington, Hartsville, Lamar, Society Hill, and the Olanta area.
Since Covid-19, the Foundation has donated food, toiletries, masks, hand sanitizers, gloves, and cleaning supplies to individuals and families in Darlington County and the Olanta, SC area that are struggling with food insecurity and economic hardships. Children were also provided with food, snacks, school supplies, masks, toiletries, arts and crafts supplies, games, puzzles, toys, books and other reading material. Donated were 4461 non-perishable food boxes, 3262 bags of toiletries, and 2411 bags of groceries.
Through the Summer Feeding and Enrichment Program, the M&Ms (Manners and Movies) Program and the Character Education Grant Program for Churches, the Foundation served over 1,814 youth. Forty-one churches in Darlington, Society Hill, Hartsville, Lamar and the Olanta area were partners in these endeavors.
This past year, Darlington Community Foundation offered classes to the community on computers for beginners, personal budgeting & finance, grant writing, fundraising, and how to start a nonprofit. Each quarter, public community workshops were held with nonprofit organizations, businesses and churches.
Genesis Community Foundation is an independent, tax exempt, nonprofit corporation organized under Section 501c3 of the Internal Revenue Code.
The mission of Darlington Community Foundation is to improve the quality of life for disadvantaged and underserved youth and their families through education and advocacy as well as to serve, to provide, and to unite communities within and across the county of Darlington as well as Olanta (located in lower Florence County, SC) and across the State of South Carolina as deemed appropriate by the Board of Directors.
The Foundation’s principal office is located in the Matthews and King Education Center at 115B Exchange Street in Darlington. The Matthews and King Education Center is named in honor of the late Dr. Josiah S. Matthews, III and the late Harold L. King.
The Board of Directors is made up of local community leaders with years of experience in education, industry, family services, business, finance, and the faith community which provides a diverse and wide-ranging view of the issues we wish to identify and address.
Board of Directors: Dr. Andre Boyd, RUSH Program Director, Florence-Darlington TECH; Debra Brown, VP Human Resources, Diamond Hill Plywood; Dyan Cohen, Community Liaison; David Corry, Finance Advisor, Edward Jones Investments; Rev. E. Ragland Coxe, Rector, St. Matthews Church; Mal Hyman, Professor of Sociology, Coker University; Marcellus Moore, IT Technician, Genesis Health Care, Inc.; Kimberly Nelson, Captain, Darlington Police Department and Safety and Emergency Management Coordinator for Darlington County School District; Willie Pearson, Owner & Manager, Bay Island Seafood Restaurant; Atty. Cheveron Scott, Owner, Scott Law Firm; Richard Wynne, Retired, Sonoco Products Company.
Officers of the Board of Directors: Dr. Andre Boyd, Chairperson; Mal Hyman, Vice Chairperson; Captain Kimberly Nelson, Secretary; Debra Brown, Assistant Secretary; Willie Pearson, Treasurer.
The Foundation Staff together has over 80 years of diverse knowledge and experience working with youth and families in various capacities within education, industry, family services, the faith community and non-profit organizations.
Foundation Staff: Patsy Sawyer, Executive Director; Sharman Poplava, Finance Director; T.C. Sawyer, Corporate Gifts & Development Director; and Deidre Odom, Program Administrator.
Please like us on Facebook and visit our website at www.gcfofdarlingtonsc.org
If you would like to donate to the Darlington Community Foundation, you may mail your donation to Darlington Community Foundation, PO Box 516, Darlington SC 29540.
The Board of Trustees and staff of Darlington Community Foundation wish you and your loved ones a Very Happy Holiday Season. We thank you for your support this past year and look forward to working with you in serving our communities in the coming year.
PAID ADV.
