Celebrating Local Impact: Palmetto Goodwill’s Community Investment Grant Awards Presentation

On December 2, 2024, Palmetto Goodwill hosted an inspiring event at its administrative office in North Charleston, awarding $200,000 in grants to eight exceptional Charleston-area nonprofits. These grants, ranging from $2,500 to $50,000, are designed to enhance programs focused on housing, transportation, education, and childcare, reinforcing Palmetto Goodwill’s mission of changing lives by providing equitable access to training, education, and employment opportunities.

The recipient organizations included  Beyond Our Walls, Charleston Moves, Charleston Promise Neighborhood, Keys to Change, Kids on Point, Neighbors Together, SHIELD Ministries, and Warrior WOD. Each organization plays a vital role in addressing pressing community needs, and the grants are a testament to their dedication and impact.

In attendance were Palmetto Goodwill’s President and CEO, Brian Itzkowitz, along with board members Jon Phillips and Daryl Brown, and representatives from the awarded nonprofits. Itzkowitz highlighted the broader mission of the initiative, emphasizing the transformative power of collaboration in building stronger communities.

Leaders from the nonprofit organizations expressed their gratitude and shared insights into how the funding will advance their missions:

• Phil Palmer, Founder and CEO of Warrior WOD, said, “This funding is astronomical for us. It’s going to allow us to help significantly more veterans… We get to be a beacon of hope for those that reside here in the Palmetto State.”
• Laure Herterich, Executive Director of Kids on Point, remarked, “The grant support is invaluable to what we do, and we are so appreciative of your work in supporting local organizations.”
• Sherri Snipes-Williams, CEO of Charleston Promise Neighborhood, shared, “We are so grateful to Palmetto Goodwill for this tremendous gift that will support our middle school students and our pathways to leadership programs, which is a workforce development program that creates opportunities for students to understand the career choices before them.”
• Katie Zimmerman, Executive Director of Charleston Moves, noted, “We are so appreciative of getting a grant from Palmetto Goodwill. We’ll be using that money to do outreach and reach the community of North Charleston for the city’s Safety Action Plan… We want to make sure that we are going out in the community and meeting people where they are.”
• Joyce Maybin Nesmith, Director of Beyond Our Walls, commented, “We are looking forward to taking this funding and using it to enhance the program so that we can have some people come in and help move them into a new area of achievement.”

In a heartfelt gesture, Phil Palmer of Warrior WOD presented Palmetto Goodwill with the “Hero of Heroes 2024, Courage of the Warrior” plaque, recognizing Palmetto Goodwill’s unwavering support for veterans and the broader community.