Areas of Progress in South Carolina – May 3
May 2, 2018
South Carolinians Saving More for College
Did you know by the time a child reaches his ninth birthday he’s halfway to college? As higher education costs skyrocket, with tuition and fees up 17 percent at state public colleges during the last five years, it’s critical to invest for your child’s future.
Fortunately, more families are relying on Future Scholar, the state’s 529 college savings program. Since 2012, Future Scholar has experienced significant growth, and today the program has more than 150,000 account owners, with $3.4 billion in assets under management. The program is consistently recognized for its low cost and strong performance, further demonstrating its value as a vital investment tool for future planning.
Launched in 2002, Future Scholar is a tax-advantaged investment program that helps families invest over time for future education expenses. The program is administered by the State Treasurer’s Office.
118 Acres of Green Space Created in Irmo
On May 1, the Irmo Chapin Recreation Commission celebrated the opening of the Michael J. and Mary Meech Mungo Park. The park comprises 118.4 acres of land that was the former Coldstream Golf Course. The Mungo family purchased the property in January and generously donated it to the Irmo Chapin Recreation Commission. The ICRC went from 702 to 820 acres of park under its management, an increase of 17%. A big thank you to the Mungo family!
Opportunities for Rural Youth
Williston – Barnwell County
The Town of Williston hosted the 3rd annual Dreams Imagination & Gift Development Program STEM Festival, drawing more than 4,000 people and 40 exhibitors to the small, rural town with a population of less than 3,200. This represents an increase of 62 percent since the first DIG STEM Festival in 2016 which had 2,500 spectators and 15 exhibitors.
The event provides opportunities for rural community youth to dream big.
Reported by the Municipal Association of SC.
Photo credit Rakiya Burkett/Timeless Arts Photography
Entrepreneurship and Agriculture
The Agribusiness Center for Research and Entrepreneurship (ACRE), a new initiative of the SC Department of Agriculture, received 30 applications for its Entrepreneurship Program, announced in March. Applicants are South Carolina residents who have an agribusiness product and/or company related to specialty crops, protein, row crops, aquaculture, timber, mechanical harvesting and agribusiness technology. Those selected to participate in the program could receive up to $25,000 for their company or product and/or access to a network of mentors, grant writing consultants and investors.
Human Trafficking
South Carolina has been making progress in combating human trafficking since Attorney General Alan Wilson launched the statewide Human Trafficking Task Force in 2012. The task force now consists of 10 subcommittees, and regional leaders, with each helping guide a coordinated state response.
Last year, task force member and Murphy & Grantland attorney Elliott Daniels co-founded Legal Assistance for Survivors of Trafficking to ensure every survivor of trafficking in South Carolina has access to pro bono counsel. Since April 2017, LAST has served 28 survivors in matters involving expungement and vacatur, restitution, custody and family court, tax counsel, immigration, and victim and witness advocacy.
As of December 31, 2017 there were 72 active human trafficking cases being prosecuted in state courts with more pending at the federal level.
Would you like to submit an Area of Progress for consideration in the areas of education, entrepreneurship, the arts, the environment, energy, agriculture, and philanthropy? Please reach out to me directly. Alan Cooper – [email protected]
