Ninth Round of COVID-19 Grants by Community Foundation of the Lowcountry Reaches 13 Local Nonprofits

In its ninth round of COVID-19 grantmaking in less than a year, Community Foundation of the Lowcountry has awarded $99,400 to 13 nonprofit organizations working the front lines of COVID-19 relief efforts. To date, a total of $655,481 has been granted from the Community Foundation’s Lowcountry Community COVID-19 Response Fund to 43 organizations in the foundation’s service area of Beaufort, Colleton, Hampton and Jasper Counties.

Scott Wierman, president and CEO of the Community Foundation, says the needs of Lowcountry residents are not easing. “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,” he says. “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.”

Community Foundation raised more than $654,000, including $200,000 directly from the Community Foundation, for its Lowcountry Community COVID-19 Response Fund. “After nine rounds of grantmaking in less than a year, the fund is now depleted,” Wierman says. “But the needs have not gone away. 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. 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.”

These organizations received grants during this round:

Antioch Education Center (Beaufort, Hampton and Jasper Counties) was awarded $6,500 for purchase food for Jasper County food pantries, supporting residents of Jasper County with increased needs.

Bluffton Community Soup 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.

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.

Community Foundation of the Lowcountry established the Lowcountry Community COVID-19 Response Fund in March of 2020 to rapidly deploy funds to nonprofit organizations addressing the needs of individuals and families struggling from the challenges created by the COVID-19 pandemic. A grants advisory committee, comprised of community leaders from Beaufort, Colleton, Hampton and Jasper Counties, reviews the grant applications.