Helping Hands of Georgetown receives $100,000 grant from Power:Ed to support more students in its Youth Empowerment Program over the next two years
October 10, 2024
Helping Hands of Georgetown County, has been awarded a $100,000 two-year grant from Power:Ed, the philanthropy of SC Student Loan Corporation, to support expanding HHG’s Youth Empowerment Program, (YEP) in all four high schools in Georgetown County.
Thirty percent of Georgetown County youth under the age of 18 live in households below the poverty level. Poverty provides more barriers to future success. YEP offers a proactive approach to help more than 80 high school students feel connected to the school culture and recognize the value of education in planning their futures. Students are referred from teachers, counselors and administrators based on key criteria. YEP’s goals are to have students (1) graduate high school, (2) further their education or the military, or (3) be employed in a job with advancement opportunities. Career coaches develop and implement YEP’s curriculum, mentor student participants throughout the program, and measure program success.
Pictured L to R: L to R: Brendon Barber, Helping Hands Executive Director; Claire Gibbons, Power:Ed Executive Director; Lynne Ford, Helping Hands Associate Director; Ronald McInnis, YEP Program Leader; with other HHG staff and volunteers.
YEP encourages its students to utilize assessment tools, such as the “YouScience” Career Assessment and the Panorama Education suite of assessments to begin career conversations and explore workforce opportunities. Funding from Power:Ed will help provide resources for the exploration of career opportunities, cultural experiences, and team-building exercises, as well as visits to area employers like International Paper and Boeing.
“This is the second time we have supported HHG’s Youth Empowerment Program and our first multi-year grant with this organization, which demonstrates our confidence in Helping Hands of Georgetown’s ability to help students transform their futures,” said Power:Ed Executive Director Claire Gibbons. “Helping Hands is making a significant impact in the lives of Georgetown youth and families, reporting a 100% graduation rate where 90% of students went on to a two- or four-year college/university and the remaining 10% enlisted in the military or entered the workforce.”
“We are pleased that Power:Ed recognizes the value of our organization and the positive ways we are impacting our young people through the Youth Empowerment Program,” said Helping Hands Executive Director Brendon Barber.
In FY2024-25 Power:Ed will award $1,000,000 in grants to South Carolina education and career readiness organizations. In this first quarter, Power:Ed has awarded six grants (including this grant to HHG) totaling $264,000. Grants are administered quarterly, and the next grant funding deadline is January 1, 2025.
About Helping Hands of Georgetown
Helping Hands has been a credible, dependable source of assistance to Georgetown County’s most needy residents since 1989, serving more than 5,500 individuals annually with food assistance, propane, or kerosene for some in the winter, along with utility support. The organization is celebrating more than 10 years of providing emergency dental services through its Dental Clinic for the poor and uninsured. The Youth Empowerment Program has been in existence since 2018.
About Power:Ed
Founded in 2019, Power:Ed, a philanthropy of SC Student Loan is dedicated to creating opportunities for South Carolina’s youth and adults by supporting low-income, minority, and first-generation students; improving access to college and degree completion; and creating pathways to quality workforce opportunities. Organizations serving middle school through post-college talent who are interested in applying for a grant or partnering with Power:Ed, should visit power-ed.org.
