Headed into Fall
September 19, 2017
Three Towns Advance in the Community Heart & Soul® Initiative
We are pleased to announce three communities have been invited to develop full proposals in the 2017 regional Community Heart & Soul initiative. Congratulations to the Town of Kershaw, the Town of Fort Lawn, and the City of Lancaster (with Promise Neighborhood)! All three towns successfully demonstrated indicators of readiness in their letters of intent over the summer.
Horizon Education Grant
Applications for the next cycle are due Wednesday, November 15, 2017!
Supporting and Building a Healthy Community
Our summer interns took part in the second annual Week of Community Collaboration with nine local nonprofit organizations.

We thank our community partners for granting this wonderful learning opportunity to our great class of interns!





Laney Buckley  worked at  GRASP  in Great Falls, assisting with communications, fundraising and event planning for the organization. Laney helped to update the strategic marketing plan, worked on a social media toolkit and a signature fundraiser.
GRASP
Lancaster County Partners for Youth & Lancaster Promise Neighborhood



Zachary Catoe  worked with  Lancaster County Partners for Youth  and Lancaster Promise Neighborhood during our Week of Community Collaboration. Throughout the week, Zach assisted both organizations with communication needs. He created video stories and took photographs of volunteers.
Christian Services



Avery Faile assisted Christian Services with marketing and communications to promote the re-opening of the Lancaster Bowling Center! 
Seth's Giving Tree




Tyler Ferguson worked at Seth's Giving Tree in Buford. Tyler assisted with technology, communications, and graphics needs. He reviewed and suggested website updates and designed a booklet of devotionals.
Lancaster County Council for the Arts


Catherine Anne Langley worked with Lancaster County Council of the Arts at the Arts & Science Camp during our Week of Community Collaboration! She assisted with camp registration and activities for each day the camp was in session.
Horse 'N' Around


Michaella Oswald worked at Horse 'N' Around on communications needs and research. Michaella crafted social media posts and created packets for doctor visits and schools.
Friends of Andrew Jackson State Park


Effie Spears worked with Friends of AJ State Park on the group's marketing and communication needs. During the week, Effie created a membership brochure. 
Lancaster County Council on Aging



Ryleigh Waiters worked at the Lancaster County Council on Aging , helping to update their contact database for the Meals on Wheels initiative.
Habitat for Humanity of Lancaster County SC
Diondrae Wright-Linton assisted Habitat for Humanity of Lancaster County SC with communications and marketing. During the Week of Community Collaboration, Drae was asked to evaluate Habitat's social media and website presence.
Helping Youth Transition to Adulthood
In partnership with the Chester County Chamber of Commerce and the Lancaster County Chamber of Commerce, we launched the first summer Community Apprenticeship Program in our area!

Eaven Austin and Hannah Knight, from the inaugural J. Marion Sims Foundation summer intern class, returned and served as community apprentices for 10 weeks. Both students will worked with the Chester County
Chamber of Commerce and Lancaster County Chamber of Commerce.

Apprentices developed
promotional videos highlighting local businesses for use in career readiness activities at local schools;
designed a community internship portal platform to broaden internship opportunities for high school and
college students in both counties, and studied the concept and possible structure of a young
professional’s arm of the Chambers. In addition, they also assisted in the training of the 2017 Foundation intern class.
Hannah Knight, a Lancaster High School graduate and Teaching Fellow at the University of South
Carolina- Columbia, will complete her degree in Middle Level
Education in May 2018.

Eaven Austin, also a graduate of Lancaster High School, just entered his junior year at Coastal Carolina University. He will complete his degree in Psychology in May 2019. 

Check out one of Eaven and Hannah's Videos below!
Elevating Philanthropy
Thankful for the work of our local partners who uplift us and further support all of the communities we serve, like the Duke Endowment. Our College Advising Corps program is in its first month. Learn more about the Duke Endowment's involvement in this special initiative!
So, what is Community Heart & Soul?
“Our partnership with the Orton Family Foundation is part of Sims’ ongoing commitment to lift up
and empower community voices to support a healthy community," said Susan DeVenny, President & CEO of the J. Marion Sims Foundation "We intend to deepen dialogue
within our communities, to strengthen and support the kind of collaboration that builds capacity in
our towns and cities."
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