Upcountry Fiber and the Foundation for Rural Service award $5,000 joint grant to Clemson Rural Health Mobile Clinic
December 16, 2024
Grant will support essential health services for rural communities in Upstate South Carolina
Upcountry Fiber, together with The Foundation for Rural Service (FRS), the philanthropic branch of NTCA–The Rural Broadband Association, has awarded the Clemson Rural Health Mobile Clinic a $5,000 grant to enhance the quality of life in rural communities served by NTCA members. FRS has awarded nearly $170,000 in Community Grants to 36 projects across rural America—the largest number of grants and highest total funding amount in the foundation’s 30-year history.
The funds awarded to the Clemson Rural Health Mobile Clinic will help equip it with a new EKG machine and an Automated External Defibrillator (AED), advancing its mission to provide vital primary care to residents across Upstate South Carolina. FRS granted Clemson Rural Health $5,000, with Upcountry Fiber’s Sponsorship.
“Clemson Rural Health has a powerful impact on Upstate South Carolina communities,” said Stephen Taylor, Upcountry Fiber’s government and community affairs representative. “Their commitment to reaching people in rural areas with limited access to primary care is life-changing, helping residents live healthier, more productive lives.”
Kristie Boswell, nurse practitioner and assistant director for mobile operations for Clemson Rural Health, says this grant will make a meaningful difference in the lives it serves. “For nearly three decades, Clemson Rural Health’s mobile health units has been a lifeline for rural South Carolinians, ensuring they receive essential health services. As a unique health care delivery system in the state, we partner with local hospitals to deliver the best care possible to these rural and underserved communities.”
“We are grateful and proud to have achieved a new record in our support for rural communities during this anniversary year,” said FRS Executive Director Pam Becker. “The work these organizations do in their communities is nothing short of inspiring, and it’s an honor to partner with NTCA members to help make these projects a reality. I can’t think of a better way to celebrate the 30th anniversary of FRS than to award the largest ever number of grants to deserving organizations served by NTCA members. I would like to thank our donors for making this possible.”
About Upcountry Fiber
Upcountry Fiber is a high-speed fiber internet provider to Anderson, Greenville, Oconee, and Pickens counties. Established in Fall 2020, Upcountry Fiber is the product of a partnership between Blue Ridge Electric Cooperative and WCFIBER, a subsidiary of West Carolina Rural Telephone Cooperative (WCTEL). Founded by organizations created to electrify and connect rural areas of South Carolina; decades later, Upcountry Fiber’s mission is to bridge the digital divide. Offering symmetrical internet speeds up to 10 Gbps over a fiber network, Upcountry Fiber has the fastest and most reliable high-speed internet in the area. To learn more about Upcountry Fiber, visit us at www.UpcountryFiber.com.
About Foundation for Rural Service
The Foundation for Rural Service (FRS) was established in 1994 as a non-profit 501(c)(3) by NTCA–The Rural Broadband Association and plays a unique role within the telecommunications industry by supporting rural telecom companies, consumers and policymakers with educational information, products and programming. Working in cooperation with NTCA–The Rural Broadband Association and its members, FRS works to sustain and enhance the quality of life in rural America through philanthropic and educational programs.
About Clemson Rural Health
Clemson Rural Health is the organizing framework for Clemson’s health service delivery and prevention efforts statewide – with locations including the Clemson Health Clinic at Walhalla, Clemson Health Clinic at Orangeburg, Joseph F. Sullivan Center, Clemson Rural Health Support Office at Abbeville, and a fleet of Clemson Rural Health mobile health units. Our vision is to transform health outcomes in rural and underserved communities through reducing premature mortality, decreasing preventable hospitalizations, and improving overall quality of life in the regions we serve.
Clemson Rural Health is a part of the College of Behavioral, Social and Health Sciences, a 21st-century land-grant college joining together a unique combination of schools and departments: Communication, Nursing, Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management, Political Science, Psychology, Public Health Sciences and Sociology, Anthropology and Criminal Justice. These areas have distinctive characteristics and missions – all joined together by a common thread of service to people and communities. For more information, visit ClemsonRuralHealth.org.
