Charleston, S.C. - Today the SC Ports Authority announced $30,000 in grants to non-profit organizations through its annual Community Giving Program.
The Community Giving Program provides grant funding to programs across South Carolina that positively impact education, maritime commerce, economic development and the environment.
"The SC Ports Authority is proud to announce $30,000 in grants to 25 worthy non-profit organizations whose efforts strengthen the communities where we operate terminals," said Jim Newsome, SCPA president and CEO. "The port's mission extends beyond our involvement in commerce and economic development, and the Community Giving Program enables us to be a better neighbor and community partner."
The annual program was created in 2012. For more information about the Community Giving program, please visit https://scspa.com/about/our-impact/community/community-giving-program/.
This year's awards include:
"We are very excited to partner with SCPA for the 2015 Fight for Air Climb. The Climb is a fun way to educate people on the importance of lungs and lung health. We greatly appreciate the port's support and dedication to improving the lives of the people in the Coastal community." - Melanie Baker Matthews, Development Manager at American Lung Association of the Southeast
"We are honored to have been chosen for the 2014 Community Giving Award by the South Carolina Ports Authority. Companies who are committed to their community like SCPA enable Red Cross to touch 1 in 12 lives in South Carolina by teaching lifesaving skills, providing emergency messaging for members of our military and their families, providing blood products to hospitals and responding to disasters an average of every 4 hours." - Louise Welch Williams, CEO of American Red Cross Carolina Lowcountry Chapter
"The Avian Conservation Center is genuinely grateful for the recognition from the SCPA implied in this award of the relevance and importance of protecting wild bird species and for the endorsement of the Center's conservation efforts that this contribution helps make possible." - Burwell Boykin, Director of Development of the Avian Conservation Center
"Be a Mentor could not operate its programs without generous community support from organizations like South Carolina Ports. Through its community giving, South Carolina Ports supports local workforce development and enabling all South Carolina students to have a chance at a great career and future!" - Kristin Cunningham, Executive Director of Be a Mentor
"Camp Rise Above is honored to be a recipient of the South Carolina Ports Community Giving award. This generous award enables us to expand our reach to provide life-changing camp experiences to children with serious illnesses, disabilities, and life challenges." - Erin Marie Ulmer, Executive Director of Camp Rise Above
"The Charleston Symphony Orchestra Orchestra is grateful for the continued support of the SC Ports Authority." - Monica Jenks, Development Director at the Charleston Symphony Orchestra
"Charleston Waterkeeper is grateful to the South Carolina Ports Authority for their support of our Recreational Water Quality Monitoring Program. The funds will allow us to continue testing bacteria levels in Charleston's favorite tidal creeks and at hotspots for swimming, paddle boarding, sailing, and kayaking." - Andrew Wunderley, Program Director & Staff Attorney of Charleston Waterkeeper
"On behalf of Chucktown Squash, we would like to thank the SC Ports Authority for their generous support. The port's contribution and dedication to our program allows us to continue expanding our mission; preparing low-income, low-resource middle school aged kids for successful advancement in high school, college, and in life." - Lauren Herterich, Executive Director of Chucktown Squash
"We are so honored to receive a Community Giving award from the Ports Authority and sincerely value their belief in Communities In Schools and our mission. This support will help us provide our program in 28 Charleston Area schools, giving students the assistance they need to stay in school and graduate on time. The support of our business community is invaluable to us, and we look forward to this important partnership with SCPA." - Jane Riley Gambrell, Executive Director of Communities in Schools
"This will be a tremendous value for providing materials and supplies to volunteers that are dedicated to a cleaner more attractive environment for citizens and visitors to the area." - Angela N. Crouch, Adopt-A-Highway County Coordinator of Community Pride of Charleston County
Engaging Creative Minds
Engaging Creative Minds received a $1,000 award for its eighth-grade participants to visit the Art Institute of Charleston and attend a dress rehearsal of a Spoleto Opera performance.
"Funds from the Ports Authority will allow our eighth-grade students to attend a Spoleto Festival dress rehearsal of the opera, Porgy & Bess, in the recently renovated Gaillard Performance Hall. Students will participate in a 9-week, in-depth, curriculum which teaches the history of the opera and its relationship to the Charleston area as well as the 'behind the scenes' technology at the Gaillard." - Robin Berlinsky, Executive Director of Engaging Creative Minds
"On behalf of our board, I want to thank the team at SCPA for your generous donation to our event. The Ports Authority's support of our efforts adds the expanding nature of our program, which includes attendees at six institutions of higher learning in graduate and undergraduate programs." - Nick Gavalas, Founder, Vice President & CFO of the Gavalas Kolanko Foundation
"With this Community Giving award from the SC Ports Authority we can provide 5,000 meals to struggling families in South Carolina. We truly appreciate their efforts to bringing the best the world has to offer to everyone in South Carolina, and this award will mean so much to those who struggle now to have food on their tables." - Stephen Fray, Government Relations & Grant Manager of Harvest Hope Food Bank
"The Holiday Parade of Boats is a festive annual event that circles Charleston Harbor and brings the holiday spirit to thousands of shore-side spectators. Proceeds from the Holiday Parade of Boats support the Rotary Club of Charleston Fund (RCCF); a charitable grant-making fund that makes contributions to support local community needs in the areas of health, education, welfare and other philanthropic purposes." - Jeanne Jamme, Parade of Boats Coordinator of Historic Rotary Club of Charleston
"Hobcaw Barony aspires to be the premier learning center for coastal ecology and history in the Southeast. This grant from SCPA enables us to create a new, mobile -ready website with online reservation capabilities. We expect participation in our tours and programs; school field studies and events to increase dramatically through this improvement and move us closer to that goal." - Tory Mackey, Director of Development of the Belle W. Baruch Foundation
"The affair that the Port is supporting through their grant will celebrate and continue acknowledging the history and musical legacy that Reverend Daniel Joseph Jenkins and the Historical Jenkins Orphanage Band worldwide made. We thank the Authority for this contribution." - Johanna Marten-Carrington, Board Member at The Jenkins Orphanage
"The Lowcountry Open Land Trust is committed to protecting the irreplaceable landscapes, working farms and critical habitats that make the Lowcountry unique. This support from the South Carolina Ports Authority will help to ensure that this important work continues for future generations." - Adrian Cain, Director of Development of The Lowcountry Open Land Trust
"Lowcountry Orphan Relief is the proud recipient of funds from the South Carolina Ports Authority. Not only does receiving these funds impact the lives of these children directly, but they stand to prove that our community can work in partnership to meet a common goal." - Regina Sharpe, Chief Operating Officer of Lowcountry Orphan Relief
"Thanks so much for your support of Push-Up & Up. We'll gladly connect SCPA with a school team for the Push-Up & Up Challenge!" - Mindelle Ziff, Founder and CEO of Kaleidoscope
"We're so pleased that the Port has stepped up to partner with NOAA and the South Carolina Aquarium to tell the story of the challenges our local bottlenose dolphins face. With the Ports' contribution, this project will allow 430,000 visitors a year to discover the bottlenose dolphin, an important and charismatic species in the Charleston Harbor, and learn about how we can help protect them." - Kevin Mills, President & CEO of the South Carolina Aquarium
"The South Carolina Maritime Museum in Georgetown, SC is proud to receive a Community Giving award from the South Carolina Ports Authority. This award enables our organization to have a quality model of the famous steamboat PLANTER built and displayed in our museum." - Robert "Mac" McAlister, Board member of the South Carolina Maritime Museum
"Giving children a chance to experience, and make a meaningful connection with, nature is key to not only their development and learning but also to cultivating the knowledgeable and engaged stewards who will value and protect our natural resources well into the future. We are delighted the SCPA will be partnering with us to provide students along the South Carolina coast with this experience through our environmental education programs." - Grace Gasper, Executive Director of SEWEE Association
"The USS Yorktown Foundation is both pleased and honored to be selected as a recipient of a SCPA Community Giving Award. This support that enables 5th graders to experience the Institute of Science, History and Technology at Patriots Point will have a positive impact on South Carolina Students. It also demonstrates SCPA's leadership and service to our community." - Todd Cummins, Executive Director of USS Yorktown Foundation
"We are excited to partner with the South Carolina Ports Authority for the second year in row in their Community Giving program. Their support has allowed our education initiatives in the Lowcountry to reach new heights, including our participation in next year's Charleston STEM Fest." - Julie Johnson, Director of Public Relations and Marketing at Water Missions International
"Removing coastal debris is important to Charleston's recreational and commercial fishing industry's economic future. We are very grateful to obtain SCPA's support for carrying out our mission." - Rudy Socha, CEO of Wounded Nature - Working Veterans
About the South Carolina Ports Authority
The South Carolina Ports Authority, established by the state's General Assembly in 1942, owns and operates public seaport facilities in Charleston, Georgetown and Greer, handling international commerce valued at more than $63 billion annually while receiving no direct taxpayer subsidy. An economic development engine for the state, port operations facilitate 260,800 jobs across South Carolina and nearly $45 billion in economic activity each year. For more information, visit www.scspa.com.