IILOCAL NEWSII
BLUFFTON SELF HELP AND THE LITERACY CENTER MERGE
nonprofit
PARTNERSHIP BY BECCA EDWARDS | PHOTO BY MADISON ELROD
“Samantha” was a single mom With the merger, the of three children, working two organizations will have four jobs, struggling to make ends locations in Beaufort and Jasper counties—two in meet. She would visit Bluffton Self Help to utilize the food Bluffton, one each in Hilton pantry to provide fresh, healthy Head and Hardeeville. Bluffton Self Help said six food options for her family. But when her car broke down in 10 households in Beaufort and she needed help seeking County and three out of four rental assistance, she ended up in Jasper County are not talking with Bluffton Self Help’s earning a living wage and are Education and Resource Center “just one mishap away from a manager, Barbara Bowers. Her financial crisis.” life changed with financial “It’s important to help our planning and one impactful local community to reach their conversation that went sometrue potential, to have quality of life and to earn that livable thing like this: wage,” Hall said. “What do you want to do BLUFFTON SELF HELP BOARD CHAIRMAN professionally?” asked Bowers. Hall joined Bluffton Self DOUG ADAMSON, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR “To be a nurse, but I can’t do Help four years ago, but her KIMBERLY HALL AND THE LITERACY CENTER it,” said Samantha, which is a own passion for this type of CHAIRMAN DON BRASHEARS pseudonym. work began during her “Not only can you do it, but childhood. we will be with you along the “I lost my parents when I MISS SOUTH CAROLINA way,” Bowers said. was young,” Hall said. “But organizations were there for me. I learned it Executive Director of Bluffton Self Help, Kimberly Hall, said Self Help is important to be there for people not just in crisis but when life happens. “quickly matched Sam with a mentor for guidance, encouragement and This job, it’s personal.” support and supported her enrollment in Technical College of the Brad Steele, executive director of The Literacy Center, said in an Lowcountry.” interview that the merger will bring two “legacy organizations” together. “If it weren’t for Barbara, I couldn’t do this. She was the first person Bluffton Self Help was founded in 1987. The Literacy Center was who told me I could. I cried. I can do it,” said Samantha. founded in 1973. Thanks to a recent merger between nonprofits Bluffton Self Help and “I saw that our DNA and cultures were so much alike,” Steele said. The Literacy Center, more people will receive the basic education and “We could not have picked a better partner.” training programs to meet the growing needs of the economically at-risk Steele said the added locations will help The Literacy Center reach in Beaufort and Jasper counties. more people. He expects TLC to have more than 400 students this semester The merger will promote educational programming, adult literacy and by 2022 he hopes to have 500 to 700 students in the program. He said services, GED preparation workforce training, and career readiness. another benefit is having the addition of about 20 more tutors through In a news release, Literacy Center Chairman Don Brashears said, “We Bluffton Self Help. both have deep roots in our communities and a strong desire to do whatever The Literacy Center also plans to add a Certified Nurse Assistance needs to be done to lift neighbors out of at-risk situations and empower program next year. Steele noted about 65 percent of those who attend TLC them to improve their lives.” are women ages 25 to 44. Said Hall: “We are excited to have the courage to make it happen, and In an interview Hall said, “We have over 30 years of deep history in the heart of Bluffton and partnering with The Literacy Center we now it has been a seamless transition because one thing we both have in the have a combined 80 years. It is an alignment of core values and passion forefront is the clients and community.” for the community.” For more information, visit blufftonselfhelp.org or theliteracycenter.org.
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