Aflac awards $125K in grants to SC nonprofits

July 18, 2019

Aflac is granting $125,000 to 17 local nonprofits working on projects that support health & well-being, education, and community development programs.  The selected organizations and their projects are:

  • Autism Academy of SC’s Preschool Parenting Groups, a parent training program for caregivers of toddlers with a new diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder.
  • Food for the Soul KC’s Overnight Shelter, a homeless overnight shelter that is open every day of the year in Kershaw County and also provides free clothing and food.
  • Foothills Area YMCA’s Blood Pressure Self-Monitoring Implementation, a program that aims to reduce cardiac incidents in Oconee and Pickens Counties.
  • Home Works of America’s South Carolina Home Repair Mission Advancement 2019, a program that gives students real-life, hands-on learning experiences while addressing the Affordable Housing deficit.
  • Ivy Heritage Foundation of Irmo’s CAP-College Admissions Process, which works to demystify the college application enrollment process for local students.
  • Lighthouse Ministries’ Working Mothers Education and Support Program, a program that prevents child abuse and neglect by teaching age-appropriate parenting skills, including disciple methods, stress and anger management, and money management skills.
  • Logan Elementary Foundation’s Math Interventionist, a hands-on learning opportunity focused on math.
  • Lowcountry Food Bank’s Establishing School Markets to Fight Child Hunger, which provides permanent food pantries at schools.
  • Mental Illness Recovery Center, Inc. (MIRCI)’s Homeless Youth Drop-in Center, a center that supports homeless and runaway youth through stable housing, educational and employment resources, supportive mentors, and health-related resources.
  • Respite Care Charleston’s Alzheimer’s and Dementia Day Program, a program that supports those living with Alzheimer’s disease and other related dementia through support groups, social day programs, education, and outreach.
  • Richland County Recreation Foundation’s After School Program Scholarship, which provides financial assistance to families dealing with an unexpected hardship so their children can attend the after school program.
  • Richland Library’s PREP: Parents Ready, Equipped & Prepared, which provides first aid kits to parents with young children and empowers them with the skills to properly care for their family in the event of an injury or medical emergency.
  • Serve & Connect’s COMPASS Expansion, a program that promotes community safety and youth empowerment in Richland County’s 29203 zip code.
  • South Carolina Aquarium’s Structured School Program, a science-based education program that serves K-12 students and teachers in South Carolina through professional development workshops, on-site programming, field trip experiences, and a corresponding online curriculum.
  • South Carolina Spinal Cord Injury Association’s South Carolina Leadership Education and Advocacy Development for Students (SC LEADS) Summer Program, which teaches rising ninth graders with disabilities self-advocacy and leadership skills training.
  • The Salvation Army of the Midlands’s Project FIGHT, a comprehensive case management program for survivors of human trafficking.
  • United Way of the Midland’s WellPartners Adult Eye Health, which helps uninsured and underinsured people in the Midlands gain access to the better health care services they need to live healthier, better lives.

“At Aflac, we believe that we have a responsibility to give back to the communities in which we work and live,” said Virgil Miller, executive vice president and chief operating officer of Aflac US, and president of Aflac Group. “We are proud to support these important agencies that have such a positive impact on South Carolina. These incredible programs touch the entire community in a truly meaningful way.”

In 2016, Aflac established its fund at Central Carolina Community Foundation to strengthen its philanthropic efforts. Since then, Aflac has awarded over $550,000 in grants to 69 nonprofits. The Community Foundation acts as a centralized point of contact for all grant requests and manages the grants administration, evaluation, outreach, and distribution. Aflac’s grants committee is comprised of a dedicated group of community-minded employee volunteers.

Applications for Aflac’s fall grant cycle will open September 1, 2019.