Countybank donates $5,000 to First Light

Countybank recently donated $5,000 to First Light. The donation will go toward making interior and exterior facility improvements and helping fund the organization’s programming. First Light, previously known as Foothills Alliance, serves as a 24/7 sexual assault and child abuse resource center.

Earlier this year the Anderson Chamber of Commerce’s Leadership 38 Class partnered with First Light to help make improvements as part of their class project. In response, Jimmy Fowler, Anderson Market Executive for Countybank and a member of Leadership 38 Class, as well as First Light board members and Countybank associates Peggy Chamblee, Financial Center Manager, and Sonya Royston, Mortgage Loan Originator, saw an opportunity for the bank to provide additional support to the nonprofit.

“The Leadership 38 Class has put in a lot of hard work through pressure washing, mulching, garden revitalization, yard work, and minor building improvements,” said Fowler. “But we still have a lot of work to do. That’s where Countybank comes in. Countybank’s donation will enable us to complete some of the more extensive facility improvements that are needed.”

The donation from Countybank will also help fund First Light’s programming and financial needs that support families who are trying to get back on their feet. This can range from hotel stays for parents to gas cards for transportation. The donation will also help the nonprofit expand its child resource services and child education supplies.

“In the first six months of 2023, First Light provided services to 823 clients of all ages, races, sexualities, and socio-economic levels—all free of charge,” said Chelsey Hucker, Executive Director for First Light. “With help from organizations like Countybank and Leadership 38 Class we can make an even greater impact in the Anderson and Oconee communities.”

First Light supports survivors of sexual assault and child abuse and their families through collaboration, education, advocacy, and treatment services in Anderson and Oconee Counties. Their programs include the Sexual Trauma Center, Child Advocacy Center, and Prevent Child Abuse.

For more information about First Light, visit firstlightsc.org.