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The Sisters of Charity Foundation of South Carolina has awarded nine Collaboration for Ministry (CMI) grants totaling $89,900 to programs associated with women religious (Sisters) in South Carolina.
The Foundation recognizes the needs and challenges facing congregations of women religious in South Carolina. These CMI grants were established to support congregations of women religious in their efforts with the poor and underserved in South Carolina.
Historically, Sister-affiliated ministries have a strong and successful record in reducing poverty in South Carolina. Sisters have established schools, hospitals and social service ministries that have served hundreds of thousands of people in the state over the past 200 years. Today, due to aging of Sisters and the decline in new recruits, there is an accelerating loss of Sisters’ ministries in South Carolina. Additionally, the few active Sisters remaining are scattered throughout the state and they, along with their ministries, are frequently alone in their efforts to address poverty.
Thus, five years ago the Foundation began an initiative which seeks to understand and assist these ministries in South Carolina. Working to strengthen and sustain these ministries, the Collaboration for Ministry Initiative conducts a variety of activities including convening meetings, providing technical assistance, facilitating transitions of leadership of Sister-affiliated ministries, providing grants and evaluating these efforts.
“These programs, organized by women religious, work daily to address poverty in South Carolina, and are invaluable to our community,” said Tom Keith, president of the Sisters of Charity Foundation of South Carolina. “It is our hope that the funding from the Foundation will strengthen and ensure sustainability of these programs in order for them to continue to serve those in need.”
2009 Collaboration
for Ministry Grants
|
Organization Name
|
Geographical Area
Served
|
Grant Amount
|
Project Title
|
Program Area
|
|
Felician
Sisters of St. Ann Catholic Outreach Center
|
Williamsburg
|
$15,000
|
Multi-faceted
Ministry Center
|
Social
Services
|
|
Funding
to increase services to the underserved of St. Ann Outreach Center in
Kingstree and St. Philip Outreach Center in Lake City. Funding is also for
expanded enrichment and educational opportunities for at-risk children in the
Williamsburg school district.
|
|
Franciscan
Center
|
Allendale
|
$15,000
|
Project
Hope
|
Economic
|
|
Funding
for a partnership project for poverty alleviation in rural Allendale County
through the collaborative effort of public, private and nonprofit sectors
through the development of an agricultural business for the community.
|
|
Jasper
County Neighbors United
|
Jasper
|
$10,000
|
Deerfield
Village Educational Project
|
Education
|
|
Funding
for a Parent University addressing the educational and relationship needs of
low-income single mothers and their children. Programs include an after
school program, a summer lunch program and a mentoring program for the
mothers.
|
|
Our
Lady of Mercy Community Outreach Services, Inc.
|
Charleston
|
$15,000
|
Our
Lady of Mercy Outreach 'Family Literacy Program'
|
Education
|
|
The
Family Literacy Program provides educational opportunities for adults and
their children who seek to improve their language, math and general literacy
skills as well as parenting and socialization skills.
|
|
Our
Lady of Mercy Neighborhood House
|
Charleston
|
$5,000
|
The
Neighborhood House Long-Range Planning Project
|
Social
Services
|
|
Funding
to develop resources and leadership to sustain the ministry of The
Neighborhood House into a viable future to serve the needs of people living
in poverty in Charleston.
|
|
Sea
of Peace House of Prayer
|
South
Carolina
|
$3,000
|
Transitioning
Sea of Peace Ministry
|
Religious
|
|
Funding
to facilitate transition in leadership for a center that provides outreach
services to the surrounding community.
|
|
St.
Anthony of Padua Catholic School
|
Greenville
|
$11,900
|
'Growing
the Elder Buddy Program'
|
Education
|
|
This
program brings together elderly individuals in the community and school
children to provide tutoring for the children and companionship for the
elderly in the form of Elder Buddies.
|
|
St.
Cyprian Outreach Center
|
Georgetown
|
$7,500
|
Hispanic
Community Client Advocate
|
Social
Services
|
|
Funding
for a Hispanic Community Client Advocate to provide Hispanic community
members with the means to communicate successfully with service providers.
|
|
St.
Martin de Porres Catholic School
|
Richland
|
$7,500
|
Arts
Alive Through Language Arts & Going Green
|
Arts
and Culture
|
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Funding
for an interactive learning program to enrich reading, language arts,
religion and science skills for students in grades Pre-K-6.
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About
the Sisters of Charity Foundation of South Carolina
The Sisters of Charity
Foundation of South Carolina, established in 1996, is a ministry of the Sisters
of Charity Health System. The Foundation is committed to addressing the needs
of the poor and underserved in all 46 South Carolina counties by addressing the
root causes of poverty, nurturing the growth of healthy communities,
emphasizing youth and family and measuring the outcomes of these efforts. |
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