Over the past two decades, the Sisters of Charity Foundation of South Carolina has strived to address the root causes and effects of poverty in South Carolina, while also working to reduce poverty through action, advocacy and leadership.

The foundation has improved the lives of thousands of low-income impoverished families throughout the state by creating opportunities for both children and adults to achieve their full potential – regardless of financial hardships.

At its heart, the Sisters of Charity Foundation of South Carolina sees its work as best implemented through its core values of kindness, respect, collaboration, compassion and courage. Since 1996, the foundation has distributed more than $65 million dollars in grants to health, education, and social services programs in all 46 Counties across that state to over 2600 organizations. The Foundation offers open grant making processes through Community Enrichment and Caritas grants which are awarded through an application process during each year.

Aside from investing in organizations that help address and reduce poverty, the Foundation has started its own initiatives to tackle the epidemic:

• Collaboration for Ministry Initiative
Because the ministries of Catholic women in South Carolina are frequently alone in their efforts to address social and economic poverty, supporting and sustaining such ministries is a special goal of the foundation. Many sister-affiliated efforts supported by this initiative have gone on to establish schools, hospitals and social service programs throughout the state.

• Supportive Fatherhood Initiative
This initiative seeks to strengthen the engagement of fathers with their children and families. By improving the emotional, physical and spiritual well-being of paternal figures, the initiative helps children grow up in more stable and supportive environments.

• Immigrant Families Initiative
Launched in June 2014, this effort is dedicated to enhancing the health, well-being and economic mobility of immigrant, mixed-status and refugee families. This initiative was born from the Sisters of Charity Foundation of South Carolina’s commitment to equality and inclusion.

• Kinship Care Initiative
In South Carolina, over 50,000 grandparents have primary responsibility for their grandchildren. There is also a growing number of close family friends or extended family members who care for a relative’s child. The Kinship Care Initiative helps support these families, so the children involved grow up in safe, loving homes. Through this initiative, the Sisters of Charity Foundation works to increase the permanency, stability and livelihood of kinship families throughout the state.

Through both short-term grants and long-term investments, the Sisters of Charity Foundation of South Carolina builds alliances that lay the groundwork for social change. Over the past 20 years, the foundation has dedicated its time and resources to strengthening diversity, equality and inclusion, as well as putting an end to poverty in the state of South Carolina. For those who would like to contribute to this noteworthy cause, there are plenty of opportunities to donate food, toys, shelter, clothing or medicine.