Serve & Connect a recipient of Sisters of Charity Foundation of SC’s 2023 Systems Level Change Grant

Serve & Connect a recipient of Sisters of Charity Foundation of SC’s 2023 Systems Level Change Grant

COLUMBIA, S.C. – Serve & Connect received a $20,000 grant from the Sisters of Charity Foundation of South Carolina. The foundation awards grants to nonprofits that strive to reduce poverty throughout the state of South Carolina and beyond. Serve & Connect was awarded a grant as part of the Systems Level Change category.

These grants are intended for organizations that work to influence and guide change in structural systems that have created, sustained, or reinforced the marginalization of families and individuals experiencing poverty in South Carolina. The Sisters of Charity Foundation awarded $475,000 to 18 different organizations in this category.

The mission of Serve & Connect is to foster positive change through sustainable police and community partnerships. We envision a future where police and citizens are working together as one community to address root causes of crime and promote safety, so everyone thrives. We believe that when police and community partners stand together, they have the power to make real, lasting change happen. This grant from Sisters of Charity Foundation of South Carolina will fund programming to spread a culture of community policing throughout South Carolina and to showcase tangible examples of how police and community partners are working together to make a difference in their communities.

“We are grateful for our continued partnership with Sisters of Charity Foundation, and we are honored to use these funds to support Serve & Connect’s COMPASS program to address community-level change to address poverty, violence, and quality of life in South Carolina through increasing relationships with local law enforcement and their community,” said Kassy Alia Ray, CEO & Founder of Serve & Connect.

In this cycle of funding, the Sisters of Charity Foundation of South Carolina awarded 92 grants totaling $1.4 million to nonprofit organizations across the state. 16 of the 92 organizations to receive a grant are in the Midlands, a $282,000 commitment to the region.

“The Sisters of Charity Foundation is proud to support nonprofits in South Carolina that are making a difference in their communities by seeking to address the factors contributing to poverty,” said Donna Waites, President of Sisters of Charity Foundation of South Carolina. “Through the support of these grants and the strength of working together, we believe we can build a stronger and more compassionate community where everyone has the opportunity to thrive.”

Macon Lovelace, the Chairman of the Board of Sisters of Charity Foundation of South Carolina, added, “these grants represent our unwavering commitment to addressing the root causes of poverty. Along with our core values, our grantmaking is rooted in humility, transparency, equity, and trust, and we are proud to partner with such vital organizations in this cycle.”

These Cycle 1 grant recipients serve all 46 of South Carolina counties, and many of these nonprofits provide services across the state.  


About Sisters of Charity Foundation of South Carolina
Sisters of Charity Foundation of South Carolina is a ministry of the Sisters of Charity Health System, founded in 1996. Its mission is to address the needs of families and individuals experiencing poverty throughout the state of South Carolina. Through the strategic use of resources, they seek to reduce poverty through action, advocacy, and leadership.

About Serve & Connect’s COMPASS Program

Serve & Connect