Sisters of Charity Foundation of South Carolina grants United Way’s Midlands Reading Consortium $10,000
Sisters of Charity Foundation of South Carolina invested $10,000 in the United Way Midlands Reading Consortium (MRC). The foundation awards grants to nonprofits that strive to reduce poverty throughout the state of South Carolina and beyond.
“The Sisters of Charity Foundation of South Carolina is proud to announce our grant support for organizations that are driving positive change across our state,” said Donna Waites, President of Sisters of Charity Foundation of South Carolina. “We understand the profound impact these organizations have in addressing the needs of our communities and look forward to working alongside them to create a more prosperous future for all South Carolinians.”
MRC is a literacy-based program that helps increase the number of Pre-K through 3rd-grade children reading at grade level at the start of fourth grade. By recruiting and training volunteers to read one-on-one with students throughout the school year, MRC helps children in the program build reading comprehension, literacy, and vocabulary skills. MRC is a partnership between United Way of the Midlands and 19 Midlands elementary schools across Richland, Lexington, Fairfield, Calhoun, and Orangeburg counties.
During the 2022-2023 school year, MRC was incorporated in 18 schools throughout eight school districts. With the help of over 240 community volunteers, the program reached nearly 580 students through one-on-one reading sessions and weekly/guest classroom readers. MRC also partnered with the United Way of the Midlands Young Leaders Society (YLS) to deliver 1,500 books to 1,000 students through YLS’s Be a Book Bunny program.
“When we boost children's literacy skills, we're not just teaching them to read; we're igniting a love for stories and a path to brighter futures,” said Sara Fawcett, President & CEO of United Way of the Midlands. “We are grateful for partners like the Sisters of Charity Foundation of South Carolina that support our dedicated MRC team to ensure every child leaves with a lifelong passion for reading and the literacy skills they need to thrive."
MRC provides volunteers with free training, materials, and the support needed to help focus on improving language skills and reading proficiency for students. Training is provided before volunteering.
Those interested in positively impacting a child’s life can sign up to volunteer with MRC at volunteer.uway.org/mrc or contact Delia Brooks, United Way’s Community Relationship Manager, at dbrooks@uway.org or 803.733.5413.
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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.