One SC Fund: COVID-19 Response awards grants to local community organizations

HARTSVILLE, S.C. —CareFIRST Carolina Foundation was awarded a grant from The One SC Fund: COVID-19 Response, a fund housed at Central Carolina Community Foundation.  The grant will assist in providing rural essential services and medical support for COVID-19 needs.  CareFIRST Carolina Foundation is the supporting foundation for CareSouth Carolina Inc. The mission of CareFirst Carolina is to serve as a conduit of support and investment that enhances CareSouth Carolina’s efforts to improve lives.

The grant funds will be used to support individuals and families with essential items including emergency medicine, emergency dental care- which includes extractions, simple fillings and more-, transportation to essential services and to address food insecurities primarily in Chesterfield, Lee, Marlboro and Dillon Counties.

“CareFirst Carolina is honored to be a recipient of the One SC Grant,” CareFIRST Carolina President Charlie Gray said. “This generous allocation will enable us to help those in the local area most adversely impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic in ways that will genuinely improve their quality of life and help mitigate the impact of this global disaster.”

Harvest Hope Food Bank, the Pee Dee Regional Transportation Authority (PDRTA), Dillon Long Term Recovery Group, Vantage Point Area Agency on Aging, the Lee County Council on Aging, the CW and Dorothy Love Foundation, Chesterfield/Dillon/Marlboro United Way and other community organizations have partnered to assist in helping support this rural initiative.

“COVID-19 has placed a growing financial burden on communities around the state,” said Mac Bennett,” director of community impact and strategic initiatives at Cyberwoven, LLC. “The grants will help meet the rising needs spawned by the COVID-19 pandemic in our state.”

Bennett is chairing the executive committee for the One SC Fund: COVID-19 Response.

The One SC Fund was established in 2015 by former Governor Nikki Haley as a statewide disaster relief fund and has directed donations to relief efforts for the Thousand-Year Flood, Hurricane Matthew, and Hurricane Florence.  Today, the COVID-19 pandemic threatens our state and our country. The One SC Fund: COVID-19 Response is a collaborative statewide response to food, shelter, health, and nonprofit sustainability needs stemming from the Coronavirus pandemic. The three core partners in the One SC Fund: COVID-19 Response — SC Grantmakers, TogetherSC, and United Way Association of SC — will be joined by dozens of local, regional and statewide organizations in implementing an expedient, efficient, and equitable use of the One  SC  Fund.

The fund enhances and complements the efforts already underway in several counties and regions across South Carolina and is addressing gaps in the response efforts, including support for communities that lack resources or an organized philanthropic response. The effort also provides an outlet for statewide, regional, and national funders interested in supporting the COVID-19 response in South Carolina.

How to Donate to the One SC Covid-19 Response Fund

Those wishing to contribute to the One SC Covid-19 Response Fund can do so in the following ways:

• Online: Visit http://www.onescfund.org to make a donation with your credit card.
• Mail: Send a check made payable to Central Carolina Community Foundation-One SC Covid-19 Response to: Central Carolina Community Foundation-One SC, 2142 Boyce St., Suite 402, Columbia, SC 29201.

Information for nonprofits interested in applying for a grant is available at www.yourfoundation.org/onescgrants.

About the One SC Fund: 

The One SC Fund, housed at Central Carolina Community Foundation, was established by former Governor Nikki Haley after the 2015 Thousand-Year Flood. The fund helps South Carolinians who are recovering from state-declared emergencies. The fund has supported efforts during three previous state-declared disasters, including the Thousand-Year Flood, Hurricane Matthew, and Hurricane Florence, distributing over $5.5 million to nonprofits. The fund is activated during times of state-declared disasters. For more information about the One SC Fund, visit www.OneSCFund.org or call 803-254-5601.