Upcountry Fiber Foundation gives $27,500 to local Upstate non-profits

Upcountry Fiber Foundation, the philanthropic arm and permanent endowment of internet service provider Upcountry Fiber, announced that it has donated $27,500 to seven Upstate non-profit organizations to help them deliver on their missions to help those in need and to support cultural enrichment opportunities for our community. Created in September 2022, the Upcountry Fiber Foundation supports non-profit organizations in Anderson, Northern Greenville, Oconee and Pickens that serve the community with education, youth, culture, arts, and health and human services.

The seven non-profits that received grants are:

• Anderson Arts Center – Serving Anderson County, the Anderson Arts Center fosters the practice and appreciation of the arts among the community. The grant will go towards The At-Risk Youth Art Programming project, providing a chance for success for students that have been expelled, court-ordered or placed at an alternative school program to work with professional artists, engaging them in hands-on projects that foster and promote positive self-expression as a means of managing their behaviors, and improving their educational experience and future prospects.
• Christ Central Ministries Oconee – Serving Pickens and Oconee Counties, Christ Central Ministries Oconee restores lives and gives hope to individuals and families who are fighting substance abuse and related homelessness by building healthy relationships and helping them have positive reentry into the community. The grant will go towards a van or SUV to provide the transportation services needed to get individuals to treatment programs, social and medical services, and employment and educational programs.
• Crime Stoppers Pickens County – Serving Pickens County, Crime Stoppers provides a secure process for the community to give information to public safety officials while remaining anonymous and encourages community involvement and cooperation with public safety officials. It also aims to reduce crime rates and make the county a safer place to live. The grant will go towards keeping Crime Stoppers operational for the next several months.
• Collins Family Ministries – Serving Oconee and Pickens Counties, Collins Family Ministries offers shelter, stability and hope to children and families in crisis and at-risk young adults. In 2025, they expanded its mission and brought SHINE For Your Future under its umbrella. The grant will provide funding for the new program that is for at-risk young adults and those aging out of foster care in key areas including emergency housing assistance, emergency medical expenses, transportation assistance, and trauma-informed counseling.
• Feed A Hungry Child – Serving Pickens County, Feed a Hungry Child identifies students and provides them the basic need of food on weekends. Currently, Feed a Hungry Child serves 600 students weekly. The grant will be used to provide funding for the food for these children.
• Golden Corner Food Pantry – Serving Seneca, Golden Corner Food Pantry will use the grant to provide much needed groceries for individuals and families dealing with food insecurity.
• AIM (Accept. Inspire. Minister.) – Serving Anderson County, AIM meets the needs of under-resourced individuals and families through housing rehabilitation, hunger ministries, pivotal support, and financial stability.

“We are very proud to support these seven amazing non-profits that work hard every day to strengthen the communities we all share,” said Chris Townson, CEO of West Carolina and co-chair of Upcountry Fiber Foundation. “Upcountry Fiber Foundation’s goal has always been to give responsibility, support impactful philanthropy, and help create lasting change in the communities we serve.”

“We could not be prouder to have these charitable organizations be our grant recipients,” said Jim Lovinggood, president and CEO of Blue Ridge Electric Cooperative and co-chair of Upcountry Fiber Foundation. “We know they will make an immediate and direct impact on the people they serve with these grant awards.”

About Upcountry Fiber Foundation

The Upcountry Fiber Foundation (UFF) is a separate 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that serves as the philanthropic arm of Upcountry Fiber. Founded in Spring 2022 by Upcountry Fiber’s two governing organizations: Blue Ridge Electric Cooperative and West Carolina, UFF established a permanent endowment that will enrich the lives of residents in the Upcountry Fiber and Blue Ridge Electric Cooperative service territories. UFF will proudly offer financial support to philanthropic organizations that serve the community in the interests of education, youth, culture, arts, health, and human services.

About Upcountry Fiber

Upcountry Fiber is a high-speed fiber internet provider to Anderson, Greenville, Oconee, and Pickens counties. Established in Fall 2020, Upcountry Fiber is the product of a partnership between Blue Ridge Electric Cooperative and West Carolina. Founded by organizations created to electrify and connect rural areas of South Carolina; decades later, Upcountry Fiber’s mission is to bridge the digital divide. Offering symmetrical internet speeds up to 1 Gbps over a fiber network, Upcountry Fiber has the fastest and most reliable high-speed internet in the area. To learn more about Upcountry Fiber, visit us at www.UpcountryFiber.com.