$500,000 Awarded at Greenville Women Giving’s 8th Annual Meeting

GREENVILLE, SC – Greenville Women Giving, a local women’s philanthropic organization, presented grants totaling $500,255 to selected community non-profit organizations at its eighth annual meeting on May 7, putting its eight-year total of awards given at $3.07 million. The meeting was held at the Peace Center’s Gunter Theater, and sponsored by the Greenville Health System and TD Bank.  For the third year, the group presented a $100,000 grant, this year awarded to The Family Effect  toward the construction of a new therapeutic treatment building for the children of families served by The Phoenix Center and Serenity Place.

Supporting the vulnerable, re-directing lives, and providing enhanced opportunities for young people were the themes of the 2014 grants.  The other charities receiving grants were:

Big Brothers/ Big Sisters of the Upstate — $40,000 for a pilot program that will intensively target 40 at-risk 8^th graders as they transition to high school.

Catholic Charities, Diocese of Charleston — $60,000 to support the “Save-A-Smile” program in Greenville County which provides x-rays and dentures for low-income adults.

Faces and Voices of Recovery (FAVOR) — $60,000 to provide certification classes for volunteer coaches who will continue core family programs and expand children’s programs.

Greer Community Ministries — $81,219 toward replacing aged and obsolete kitchen equipment and upgrading HVAC and lighting systems used in their meal program for the elderly and disabled.

Meals on Wheels Greenville — $45,000 for a pilot program that will provide meals to 1000 senior citizens during the critical week after they are discharged from the hospital

Metropolitan Arts Council — $63,400 to train and mentor 25 new teachers in “Smart Arts”, a proven successful program that trains teachers to integrate the arts into their curricula

Meyer Center for Special Children — $50,552 to provide full and partial scholarships for 41 students needing occupational, speech and physical therapy services.

Founded eight years ago as a special initiative of the Community Foundation of Greenville, GWG is an organization of women whose purposes are both educational and philanthropic.  Like similar successful groups in cities such as Charlotte and Asheville, GWG sponsors year-round educational opportunities for its members and guests, designed to inform about specific Greenville community needs.  Members contribute $1100 annually to a collective pool that is distributed to local non-profits, following a membership-led grants review process and vote. GWG has also received generous grants from the Community Foundation of Greenville and other donors.  The group focuses on funding high-impact community initiatives in the areas of education, health, human services, arts, and environment.  Past grantees have included Pendleton Place, Greenville Free Medical Clinic, South Carolina Children’s Theatre, Conestee Foundation, and Greenville Literacy Association.

Thanks to GWG members’ generosity, total grant amounts have increased each year since the group’s founding.  GWG currently has 425 members and welcomes new members throughout the year. For information about membership, upcoming events, and grants please visit the organization’s website:  www.greenvillewomengiving.org.