PALMETTO PROJECT INC
6296 RIVERS AVENUE STE 100, NORTH CHARLESTON, SC 29406 www. palmettoproject.org

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Organizations Filed Purposes: THE PALMETTO PROJECT IS A PRIVATE, NON-PROFIT INITIATIVE TO PUT NEW AND CREATIVE IDEAS TO WORK IN SOUTH CAROLINA. LED BY THE BELIEF THAT EVERY PROBLEM FACED BY COMMUNITIES IN OUR STATE IS BEING SOLVED BY SOMEONE SOMEWHERE, WE BRING TOGETHER CITIZENS, CORPORATIONS, AND GOVERNMENTAL AGENCIES TO FIND GOOD IDEAS AND PUT THEM TO WORK STATEWIDE. SINCE WE STARTED IN 1984, WE HAVE BEEN THE CATALYST FOR OVER 100 INNOVATIVE AND CREATIVE PROJECTS. WE ARE NOT A GOVERNMENT AGENCY. WE RELY ON FOUNDATIONS AND CORPORATIONS FOR MUCH OF OUR FUNDING. HOWEVER, OUR STRONGEST SUPPORT COMES FROM THOUSANDS OF INDIVIDUAL SOUTH CAROLINIANS WHO SHARE OUR VISION OF THE STATE'S FUTURE.

ACCESSIBLE HEALTHCARE FOR THE PAST 20 YEARS, THE PALMETTO PROJECT HAS BEEN A LEADING ADVOCATE FOR A MORE EFFECTIVE SYSTEM OF HEALTH CARE FOR SOUTH CAROLINIANS REGARDLESS OF THEIR FINANCIAL CIRCUMSTANCES, RACE, OR RESIDENCY. DURING THIS TIME THE ORGANIZATION BECAME A NATIONAL LEADER IN PATIENT NAVIGATION, COMMUNITY- BASED CARE DELIVERY, AND REDUCING CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE AMONG AT-RISK AFRICAN AMERICANS. OTHER INITIATIVES HAVE BOOSTED SOUTH CAROLINA TO BECOMING A NATIONAL LEADER IN CHILDHOOD IMMUNIZATION, HEALTH INSURANCE ENROLLMENT, AND MEDICAID COVERAGE FOR CHILDREN. ONE OF OUR MOST SUCCESSFUL START-UP VENTURES HAS BEEN WELVISTA, A STATEWIDE PARTNERSHIP THAT PROVIDES FREE PHARMACEUTICALS TO THE HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF SOUTH CAROLINIANS WITHOUT HEALTH COVERAGE. TODAY WELVISTA IS ITS OWN NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION AND PROVIDING MEDICATIONS VALUED AT MORE THAN 50 MILLION A YEAR TO SOUTH CAROLINIANS IN NEED. PROGRAMS: INSURE SC. INSURE SC IS A ONE-STOP SHOP TO GET INFORMATION ABOUT HEALTH COVERAGE OPTIONS INCLUDING MEDICAID, MEDICARE, MARKETPLACE, AND PRIVATE INSURANCE. ALL SERVICES ARE FREE. IT IS THE FIRST NONPROFIT INSURANCE AGENCY IN SOUTH CAROLINA, AND THE SECOND IN THE NATION. CHILDRENS HEALTH SC . HALF OF ALL SOUTH CAROLINA CHILDREN LIVE AT OR BELOW 200% OF THE FEDERAL POVERTY LEVEL, AND CONSEQUENTLY FACE MANY HEALTH CARE CHALLENGES. MEDICAID PROVIDES GOOD COVERAGE, BUT THOUSANDS OF ELIGIBLE CHILDREN GO OFF THE ROLLS EACH YEAR AND FACE LONG PERIODS WITHOUT A MEDICAL HOME OR INSURANCE COVERAGE. THE PALMETTO PROJECT HAS FORMED PARTNERSHIPS WITH THE STATES MEDICAID AGENCY TO MORE AGGRESSIVELY IDENTIFY CHILDREN WHO HAVE FALLEN THROUGH THE CRACKS AND GET THEM ENROLLED AND RE- ENROLLED IN MEDICAID AND INTO A MEDICAL HOME. CAROLINA HEARING AID BANK. MOST PUBLIC AND PRIVATE HEALTH CARE PLANS DO NOT COVER THE COST OF HEARING AIDS, JEOPARDIZING THE ABILITY OF SOUTH CAROLINIANS WHO ARE HARD OF HEARING TO WORK, LIVE ON THEIR OWN, OR EVEN COMMUNICATE WITH THEIR OWN FAMILIES. THIS IS PARTICULARLY HARD ON PEOPLE LIVING BELOW THE POVERTY LEVEL. THROUGH A SPECIAL PARTNERSHIP WITH STARKEY, A NATIONAL HEARING AID MANUFACTURER, THE PALMETTO PROJECT IS ABLE TO PROVIDE LOW-INCOME SOUTH CAROLINIANS WITH FREE HEARING AIDS, WHICH WE ACQUIRE AT A FRACTION OF THEIR RETAIL VALUE.

FAMILY, YOUTH AND SCHOOLS THE PALMETTO PROJECT SEES HEALTHY FAMILIES, ENGAGED YOUNG PEOPLE, AND VIBRANT SCHOOLS AS THE CORNERSTONES OF EFFECTIVE COMMUNITIES. OUR INITIATIVES PROVIDE THOUSANDS OF VULNERABLE FAMILIES WITH CONNECTIONS TO SOCIAL SERVICE AGENCIES, SUPPORT SERVICES, FOOD, AND EVEN CHRISTMAS PRESENTS. EVIDENCE-BASED PROGRAMS IN EARLY LITERACY AND CAMPUS VIOLENCE HAVE TRANSLATED INTO GREATER SCHOOL READINESS AMONG THE STATES YOUNGEST LEARNERS, AND SAFER, MORE INCLUSIVE SCHOOLS FOR OUR TEENAGERS. CURRENT PROGRAMS MY FIRST BOOKS OF SOUTH CAROLINA. NEARLY ONE-THIRD OF SOUTH CAROLINA CHILDREN ARRIVE IN KINDERGARTEN WITHOUT THE LITERACY SKILLS TO MASTER THE MATERIAL THEY NEED TO MOVE ON TO FIRST GRADE. THROUGH OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH DOLLY PARTON AND HER IMAGINATION LIBRARY, WE ARE WORKING TO PROVIDE EVERY SOUTH CAROLINA CHILD UNDER AGE FIVE A FREE, DEVELOPMENTALLY-APPROPRIATE BOOK EACH MONTH. BEGIN WITH BOOKS, OUR AFFILIATED PROGRAM IN CHARLESTON COUNTY, IS ONE OF THE MOST SUCCESSFUL EXAMPLES OF HOW THIS PROGRAM CAN CHANGE CHILDRENS LIVES. BEGIN WITH BOOKS. BEGIN WITH BOOKS IS CHANGING THOUSANDS OF LIVES IN CHARLESTON COUNTY SC BY MAILING BOOKS TO BABIES AND TODDLERS VIA DOLLY PARTONS IMAGINATION LIBRARY. FAMILIES WHO RECEIVE OUR BOOKS IN THE MAIL EACH MONTH READ WITH THEIR CHILDREN MORE OFTEN AND SPEND MORE TIME READING AND TALKING ABOUT BOOKS TOGETHER. THESE IMPROVED FAMILY READING HABITS STRENGTHEN A BABYS PRE-LITERACY SKILLS AND REDUCE THE WORD GAP THAT EXISTS BETWEEN CHILDREN FROM LOW- AND HIGHER-INCOME FAMILIES, SENDING CHILDREN TO SCHOOL EXCITED ABOUT READING AND READY TO LEARN. FAMILIES HELPING FAMILIES. THERE HAS PROBABLY NEVER BEEN A REAL SOCIAL SAFETY NET FOR VULNERABLE FAMILIES AND CHILDREN IN SOUTH CAROLINA. ONE IN THREE CHILDREN IN SOUTH CAROLINA CANNOT COUNT ON REGULAR MEALS FROM DAY TO DAY. FOR 25 YEARS, THE PALMETTO PROJECT HAS PROVIDED A LIFELINE TO FAMILIES IN CRISIS THROUGH ITS NETWORK OF SOCIAL SERVICE AGENCIES AND COMMUNITY-MINDED ORGANIZATIONS ACROSS THE STATE. MANY SOUTH CAROLINIANS KNOW FHF BECAUSE OF ITS CHRISTMAS PROGRAMMING THAT PROVIDES FOOD, CLOTHING, AND CHRISTMAS GIFTS FOR NEARLY 3800 FAMILIES WITH URGENT AND EMERGENCY NEEDS. OTHER PROGRAMS INCLUDED IN THIS CATEGORY: BACKPACK JOURNALIST, MEDIA IN EDUCATION

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROGRAMS IN SOUTH CAROLINA, WHEN RACE IS A FACTOR, IT IS THE FACTOR. HOWEVER, THE PALMETTO PROJECT HAS BECOME A LEADER IN EQUIPPING COMMUNITIES WITH NEW TOOLS TO ENHANCE COMMUNICATION, CREATE TRUST, AND SOLVE PROBLEMS. OTHER PROGRAMMING ENCOURAGES YOUNG PEOPLE TO STRIVE TO BECOME WORLD-CLASS AND REACH OUT BEYOND OUR STATES BORDERS. OUR LONG-STANDING SUPPORT OF COMPANION ORGANIZATIONS IN AFRICA HAS BROADENED SOUTH CAROLINIANS APPRECIATION FOR A BIG PART OF OUR HERITAGE. OUR THREE STATEWIDE CITIZENS SUMMITS ON RACE AND COMMUNITY IN 1996-2000 PROVIDED A ROAD MAP TO SUPPORT SOUTH CAROLINA COMMUNITIES STRUGGLING WITH RACE-RELATED ISSUES. ALONG WITH MANY NON-PROFIT AND PRIVATE SECTOR PARTNERS, WE FACILITATED DOZENS OF COMMUNITY DIALOGUES AND CREATED LOCAL PROGRAMS THAT LED TO GREATER COOPERATION AND LONG-TERM RELATIONSHIPS THAT IN TURN LED TO PROGRESS. HOMELESS TO HOPE FUND. THE HOMELESS TO HOPE FUND WAS FOUNDED IN FEBRUARY 2016 BY CHARLESTON MAYOR JOHN TECKLENBURG. HOMELESS TO HOPE FUND IS USED TO ASSIST HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES IN THEIR TRANSITION TO PERMANENT HOUSING THROUGH SERVICE PROVIDERS IN CHARLESTON, MOUNT PLEASANT, SUMMERVILLE, AND NORTH CHARLESTON FOR CERTAIN FINANCIAL EXPENSES. LOW COUNTRY AID TO AFRICA. IN 2003 LEADERS OF CHARLESTON RELIGIOUS COMMUNITY CAME TOGETHER TO CREATE STRONGER TIES WITH NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS IN AFRICA RESPONDING TO THE CONTINENTS GROWING HEALTH CRISES. EVERY YEAR THE GROUP OF CHRISTIANS AND JEWS ORGANIZES A MAJOR FUNDRAISING EVENT THROUGH WHICH SOUTH CAROLINIANS CAN PROVIDE ASSISTANCE TO THIS PART OF THE WORLD THAT HAS HAD SUCH AN IMPORTANT IMPACT ON OUR STATE. LOWCOUNTRY MINISTRIES FUND. THIS FUND WAS ESTABLISHED IN COORDINATION WITH AND AT THE REQUEST OF THE CITY OF CHARLESTON AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO HONOR THE VICTIMS OF THE JUNE 2015 TRAGEDY AT EMANUEL AME CHURCH BY FURTHERING COMMUNITY CONCERNS THAT WERE IMPORTANT TO THEM, ESPECIALLY IN UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES IN BEAUFORT, HAMPTON, ALLENDALE, COLLETON, JASPER, AND CHARLESTON COUNTIES.

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