Foundation Awards $37,000 in Grants

COLUMBIA, SC – October 2, 2009 – The Sisters of Charity Foundation of South Carolina has awarded three discretionary grants totaling $37,000 to the Columbia Free Medical Clinic, HOPE worldwide– South Carolina and The State of Denial Project.

The Columbia Free Medical Clinic received a grant for $15,000 towards the health services provided in Richland County. The Free Medical Clinic provides over 12,000 visits per year to Midlands area residents who have little money or no health insurance. They also provide nearly $4 million in medications and supplies.

HOPE worldwide– South Carolina provides programs and services to hundreds of children and families in both the Midlands and the Lowcountry of South Carolina. These services include after school programs for at risk children, immunizations for school-aged children and mentoring programs for fourth and fifth grade students. HOPE worldwide received a $15,000 grant that will be used to leverage $30,000 to support their ongoing programs for children and families.

The State of Denial Project is an educational film project, championed by South Carolina Superintendent of Education Jim Rex, which will build on the Corridor of Shame project. The film will educate audiences regarding the serious interlocked failures that threaten South Carolina’s future. The Foundation awarded $7,000 towards this project.

About the Sisters of Charity Foundation of South Carolina
The Sisters of Charity Foundation of South Carolina, established in 1996, is a ministry of the Sisters of Charity Health System. The Foundation is committed to addressing the needs of the poor and underserved in all 46 South Carolina counties by addressing the root causes of poverty, nurturing the growth of healthy communities, emphasizing youth and family and measuring the outcomes of these efforts.