“Seeing a program in action is more powerful than reading about it on a grant application.” – Karen Minogue
Nonprofits Making an Impact in Conway
On June 26th, 2017, Waccamaw Community Foundation Director of Development Karen Minogue and Board Member Muriel O’Tuel hit the road! They went out into our community to witness the great work of three local organizations: A Father’s Place, CHOPS Produce and Community Cannery, and Fostering Hope.
A Father’s Place is a nonprofit with the sole mission of helping men overcome the barriers to becoming responsible fathers. This organization has grown from serving a small portion of Horry County to serving five counties over the past 15 years. Their staff work to give each man the proper tools to be the best father he can be through values assessment, parenting, employment skills, legal rights and responsibilities. Karen and Muriel were able to sit in on an “Employment Bootcamp” and as they explained, “those served learned about barriers and distractions, attitudes and behaviors, health and wellness, and the “essentials for an acronym they use called W.O.R.K. – being willing, open, responsible, and knowledgable.”
CHOPS Produce and Community Cannery (CPCC) is bringing affordable, fresh food to a “food desert” in Conway, planning a nutritional program for the broader community, and providing job opportunities and training for the unemployed. “We were able to see first-hand how a grassroots organization takes a dream and turns it into a reality,” observed Karen.
At their third and final site visit, Karen and Muriel were impressed by the scope of work being undertaken at Fostering Hope. Their mission has expanded from serving children in foster care to serving child victims of house fires or other crises, as well as their families. They raise funds and awareness through their public thrift store, and children in crisis can make an appointment to shop for free apparel. Karen and Muriel were especially impressed by their numbers: “They provide approximately 400 backpacks filled with school supplies to kids in crisis each August, and 150-200 pairs of socks and underwear each month!”
In a story in our Annual Report, “Mr. Anonymous Donor” visited Teen Challenge of South Carolina with Karen to further his understanding of how the organization works and helps the people it serves. He met with the program participants and from that experience, felt secure in his decision to donate to the organization. Just like his visit, Karen and Muriel’s site visits have confirmed the power of witnessing the impact of nonprofits that are funded through WCF or through one of WCF’s donor funds.
“They are mission driven and motivated to share their stories,” said Karen. “Developing capacity and understanding with local nonprofits is just another way that WCF is connecting donors with the causes they care about.”
If you would like to learn more about the positive impact you can make in Horry and Georgetown Counties, contact Karen Minogue to learn about all the ways you can become involved with the Waccamaw Community Foundation.