Darlington County Coordinating Council to apply for community-based grant
The Darlington County Coordinating Council has begun the early planning stages of applying for a community-based grant.
The council — made up of several community, healthcare and state agencies — was formed to promote communication between organizations in Darlington County with the goal of collaborating to provide needed services in the county.
“It’s not about any one organization, it’s about all of us coming together,” said CareSouth Carolina’s chief of community health, Joe Bittle.
“This is an opportunity for us to make an impact in the community by bringing our organizations together for the betterment of Darlington County.”
The council heard from Regina Nesmith, Quinn Knox and Ruby Gibbs, members of the Lee County Executive Board, as they shared information about their group, the Lee County Rural Leadership Institute/Interagency Coalition.
The group formed the Literacy & Wellness Alliance, which allowed them to build a playground for a school in West Lee County, as well as focus on the wellness of the county through garden planting and providing health education.
Patrick Bines, director of Northeastern Rural Health Network, spoke to the council about the “Healthy People, Healthy Carolinas” grant that has allowed his network to promote healthy nutrition and education in Chesterfield County.
To close the meeting, Lindsey Kilgo, director of network development for the South Carolina Office of Rural Health, gave the council a rundown on information needed to apply for a federal grant and how to begin the process.
“It’s always about the individuals in the community and meeting their needs,” Kilgo said.
“It’s a collaborative effort.”
The council is identifying the issues in Darlington County that need to be addressed and searching for avenues to resolve those problems.
The mission of the Darlington County Coordinating Council is to improve life in Darlington County by strengthening the systems of communication and collaboration among human service organizations that provide services to county residents.