SC Thrive is proud to facilitate the COVID-19 Rental Assistance Program — a program designed to provide emergency rental assistance to South Carolinians facing financial hardships as a result of the Coronavirus crisis — in cooperation with SC Housing.

In an effort to help lessen the outbreak’s economic impacts on state residents, the program will provide emergency assistance to renters affected by shutdowns, closures, layoffs, reduced work hours, or unpaid leave due to the COVID-19 health crisis. Eligible households will receive assistance of up to $1,500 for rent in a one-time, lump-sum payment made directly to property owners or management companies.

Dave’s family is proud and honored to create the Dave Hart Scholarship Fund in honor of his dedication to, and passion for the students and families he served and adored. The funds will be used to support full and partial scholarships for Studio 52 students beginning this fall. You can click below to donate or you can mail your donation to PO Box 310, Flat Rock, NC. 28731. Please include Dave Hart Scholarship in memo-line / letter.

REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN! 

Participate virtually anywhere September 19 through September 26, 2020. 

All runners will receive as part of their entry, delivered to their doorstep:

• Official race t-shirt
• Official race hat
• Finisher Medal
• Downloadable Finisher’s Certificate
• Upload results and view event leaderboard
• Upload photos from before, during or after your virtual run, create a video and add stickers to share your experience

Greenwood Soup Kitchen is in dire need of volunteers to feed the hungry daily. Volunteer numbers have dropped sharply during the novel coronavirus pandemic.

“We’re down to three or four people,” said Norm Fawcett, Greenwood Soup Kitchen chairman. “We’re struggling to prepare soup and meals. We’re looking for a dozen or more volunteers, just one morning per week. Volunteers do not have any contact with our guests. We’re doing take-home meals. Our dining room is closed.”

The urgent volunteer need comes after the soup kitchen reopened its doors Aug. 10, to distribute take-home meals outside the United Center for Community Care. The nonprofit closed briefly earlier this month after a volunteer tested positive for COVID-19.

Kitchen and dining facilities have since undergone industrial cleaning and sanitation by a licensed company, Fawcett said.

Meals are distributed outside the dining room’s main entrance. Masks and gloves are required of volunteers preparing meals at this time.

We think you can organize your networking plan. There are tools you can use to focus your efforts. One class of these tools is called “personal knowledge management.”  To introduce us to the idea and a couple of tools that we’d never spent any time with, we brought in Sandra Halling of The Data Mavens.  She helps her clients come up with a plan to use the data at their fingertips to accomplish their big goals.

Classic Family Adventure in Western North Carolina

North Carolina’s shimmering Nantahala River, located just outside Bryson City, NC, at 13077 Highway 19 West, Bryson City, NC 28713. This location offers river rafting through family-friendly rapids that are mild but exciting. The Nantahala features eight miles of practice on easy Class II rapids before splashing through the exciting Class III whitewater of Nantahala Falls.

The Nantahala is also headquarters of the Nantahala Outdoor Center. Founded in 1972, NOC is located at the intersection of the Appalachian Trail and the Nantahala River in the Nantahala National Forest. Originally a roadside inn, the company has evolved into one of the largest outdoor recreation companies in the nation, hosting well over one million guests each year.

NOC’s 500-acre adventure center offers whitewater rafting, four aerial and zipline activities, mountain biking on nine miles of private trails, and stand-up paddleboarding on Lake Fontana. In between activities, you can shop at one of NOC’s four retail stores including NOC’s flagship Outfitter’s Store, eat at NOC’s two riverfront restaurants, and even stay in a cabin adjoining the Appalachian Trail.

The Pandemic Arts: a series “where performing artists from various genres discuss how the global pandemic is affecting their careers, their creativity, their finances, and their plans for the future.”

The final video is live and features a candid interview with Lisa K. Bryant about the history of the Playhouse and the challenges of running a theatre during the COVID-19 pandemic. You’ll also see performances by beloved Vagabonds Matthew Glover, Bill Muñoz, and Scott Treadway.

While the UN reported that over 1 million species around the globe are at risk of extinction, the Trump administration responded by proposing rollbacks to the Endangered Species Act. Again and again, they have shown that they value profit over planet. But hope is not lost. Here is something you can do today. When you get any item in the Save the Bees collection, you are supporting LCV’s work to stop the climate crisis and protect endangered species. 

Someone taught me long ago that if the first words you say in the month are “Rabbits. Rabbits. Rabbits” you’ll have good luck for the whole month.

I do this every month. Not sure if it works. BUT…

I do know I can make my own luck. So, I do.  Inspired years ago by Matt Cutts’ TED Video, Try Something New for 30 Days, I’ve been running experiments on myself. I try something new for 30 days. I’ll do it again this month. Today.

As for my experiments, I’ve taken up journaling, writing on various projects, eliminated red meat, even gave up cigars for a month. (What?)

This is a chance to try on a new behavior. You can start a thing or stop a thing. It’s up to you.  Would you like to be the person who writes a novel in a month? Launches a new morning routine? Reads a book a week?

You can do it.  By the way, we want to help.

A few months ago we recorded a podcast on this topic and it’s especially set in this time. You might find it helpful as a riff on what’s possible with a 30 day experiment.

IMPACT THE LIFE OF A CHILD. GIVE TODAY.

GET INVOLVED

Volunteerism is the backbone of MTCC. An average of 4,450 volunteer hours are donated every year to help the Community Center and the community it exists to serve. Volunteer opportunities are available for individuals, families, and church, corporate, and school groups.

Some fun ways to make a difference:

1. Help out in the food pantry by stocking shelves and making up food and toiletry bags
2. Run errands, such as picking up donations
3. Perform handyman work like painting or minor carpentry
4. Make our grounds beautiful by spreading mulch, planting, weeding, trimming, and other landscaping needs
5. Assist with planning and running special events
6. Sponsor a child for Christmas, or help organize and distribute gifts on-site at the “Christmas House”
7. Answer phones, greet clients, and make MTCC a welcoming place for all visitors
8. Clean vehicles
9. Rock babies (background check required)
10. Help unload and inventory Gifts in Kind products
11. Organize a drive for food, winter coats, school supplies, books, or other items

Interested in volunteering?  Please contact [email protected] or call 864-439-7760 for current volunteer opportunities and ways to get involved.