Merry Christmas from the Sisters of Charity Foundation of South Carolina

Happy Thanksgiving

O God, source and giver of all things,
You manifest your infinite majesty, power and goodness
In the earth about us:
We give you honor and glory.
For the sun and the rain,
For the manifold fruits of our fields:
For the increase of our herds and flocks,
We thank you.
For the enrichment of our souls with divine grace,
We are grateful.

Supreme Lord of the harvest,
Graciously accept us and the fruits of our toil,
In union with Jesus, your Son,
As atonement for our sins,
For the growth of your Church,
For peace and love in our homes,
And for salvation for all.
We pray through Christ our Lord. Amen.
From Living God’s Justice: Reflections and Prayers

Happy Thanksgiving
from the Sisters of Charity Foundation of South Carolina staff!

Psalm 105:1-2
"O give thanks unto the Lord, call upon his name: make known his deeds among the people. Sing unto him, sing psalms unto him: talk ye of all his wondrous works".

Foundations Must Rethink Their Priorities

Foundations today are in a tough spot and they have been in a tough spot for a few years. Since 2008, foundations have dealt with financial constraints they have not experienced in many years. From the outside looking in, most people feel that foundations have a large asset base and plenty of fluid resources to distribute into the community. This is not true. In 2008 and 2009, most foundations lost at least 25% of their asset value and some lost as much as 40%. This has a huge impact in many different ways. It causes a more conservative approach to grant making, less dollars to grant and likely fewer dollars in the coming years. It simply adds up to less and less money.
 
So foundations today must operate differently. No longer can they provide grant dollars at the level they have before. No longer can they count on a growing investment portfolio to sustain their current level of giving, let alone grow. 
 
So how do we meet our goals and mission with less money to offer? The answer is that we must find ways to maximize the dollars we have to work with to garner the best possible outcomes. We must rethink our priorities. Here is what the Sisters of Charity Foundation of South Carolina is doing to deal with fewer dollars at a time when the demand for support is at its highest level.

Leverage. Through partnerships with other funders, businesses and government, we try and leverage our money to make more collective dollars available for a common program our project. Collaboration is key, and pooled resources mean more dollars and a higher probability of success.

Policy. There are many issues that affect the poor that we address and advocate for oftentimes voiceless. The individuals and families that benefit from the grants we award can also benefit from our voice with government, community leaders and multiple stakeholders. Public awareness and education is a key component of this effort. Whether it is weighing in on the homeless issue, undocumented immigrants, low income fathers, TANF reauthorization or other important concerns, the Foundation can use its influence to affect public perception and thinking. It is an important role that we play, and can create positive outcomes. Taking a stand on issues affecting our mission is necessary and extremely valuable to us and to others.

Capacity Building and Leadership. Teaching and training nonprofit practitioners to be better at their jobs has become a hallmark strategy, beyond grant making, of this Foundation. By strengthening board and staff’s ability around governance, fund raising, marketing, strategy and leadership, the whole organization benefits and has a strong chance of being more successful and vibrant. It is a small financial investment with the potential for a large return for the nonprofits that participate.

Community Convening. Meeting with community leaders and individuals living in poverty gives us a whole different understanding of how life truly is, in a poor neighborhood or town. Sometimes a Foundation can be the voice of reason and thoughtfulness in a community where leaders have become polarized or the social and political dynamics have become too strong to overcome. Learning from others and sharing with others can be a valuable and important role for the Foundation to play. What you learn can also help drive grant making decisions in the future. Important issues rise to the top at many of these community convenings.

Foundations today must choose their priorities carefully and if they only focus on grants then they are missing an opportunity to have broader impact and greater results. There are not enough dollars available to accomplish what needs to be done to meet our mission and earn the greatest results. Casting our net wider using tools other than grant making makes sense. If we don’t use them, then our results will be limited just like our dollars.

Tom Keith is the president of the Sisters of Charity Foundation of South Carolina

2012 Presidential Election: Tracking the Candidates on Poverty

More people are living in poverty now than ever before, at least since records were kept. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, more than 46 million Americans were living in poverty in 2011, which for a family of four means an annual income of less than $22,100 a year. All this, and in four weeks citizens across the country will hit the polls to vote in the 2012 presidential election. Incumbent President Barack Obama is running for a second and final term during this election. His major challenger is former Massachusetts Governor, Republican Mitt Romney.
 
Released in January, Poverty, the Media and Election 2012: What Do Voters Think?, reveals the results of a survey of likely voters’ views on poverty and opportunity in the context of the 2012 presidential campaign. The report provides a snapshot of opinions provided by the survey, as well as by other public opinion polls on similar topics. Within this context, the report discussed five key findings in particular:

1. Voters strongly said candidates’ views on poverty are important in deciding their vote for president. 
2. Nearly half of voters said they have not heard enough from presidential candidates about reducing poverty.
3. Half of voters said they have not heard enough from the media about reducing poverty during the presidential campaign.  
4. Voters strongly said candidates’ positions on equal opportunity for children of all races are important in deciding their vote for president.  
5. Voters tended to say children of all races do not currently have equal access to opportunity.

While poverty may not be a significant electoral issue, the findings in this poll suggested that voters are interested in hearing more about poverty and equal opportunity from candidates and the media, and that poverty and opportunity may play a role in their vote.
 
This was welcomed news to the Sisters of Charity Foundation of South Carolina which serves as an advocate for the poor and underserved in South Carolina. Educating and serving as a resource for both the community and public policy makers on issues affecting the poor is one way the Foundation engages in the public policy process. As we approach the November election, it is important to know the candidates’ views on poverty issues.
 
There is one organization tracking and sharing this information. Over the past few months, Spotlight on Poverty and Opportunity was tracking all candidates on poverty-related issues, from quotes to policy statements to media interaction. It is now covering the official nominees from the Democratic and Republican parties, Obama and Romney. Spotlight on Poverty and Opportunity is a non-partisan initiative that brings together diverse perspectives from the political, policy, advocacy and foundation communities to find solutions to reduce poverty in America.

Tuesday, November 6, 2012, marks the conclusion of the 57th presidential race with voters heading to the polls to cast their vote for the next president. Before you visit the polls, find out where each candidate stands on issues of both poverty and economic opportunity.

Please note that the Sisters of Charity Foundation of South Carolina does not support or oppose any candidate for public office. This resource is one means to assist voters in analyzing some of the significant poverty and opportunity issues of the campaign so that they can exercise their rights in a most effective manner.

Brooke Bailey is the senior director of communications

In the Business of Transformation

“Many managers and executives are voicing their fears that the talent they have is not the talent they need,” states Jean B. Leslie, manager of product development research at the Center for Creative Leadership in Greensboro, N.C. “Businesses, government agencies, nonprofits and educational organizations need leaders who can effectively navigate complex, changing situations and get the job done. The questions that need to be asked at the organizational level are: who do we have, what do they need to do and are they equipped to do it?”  The Sisters of Charity Foundation of South Carolina has taken on the task of answering these questions.

Current leadership skill gaps, as well as fears of gaps for the future, present opportunities and creative space to examine positive leadership and the processes by which strong, authentic and highly-skilled leaders are developed. It is critical that a new generation of positive leaders is prepared to lead in the 21st century and beyond. To facilitate this, we must provide leaders with the knowledge and skills needed to fill the leadership gaps for current leaders and to diminish fears regarding what emerging leaders are able to offer for the future.

 In the fall of 2010, a partnership with the Sisters of Charity Foundation of South Carolina’s Carolina Academy for Nonprofits and Columbia College was formed. As a result of the partnership, a graduate level Nonprofit Leadership Training Certificate program was developed and implemented. Following the inaugural year of the certificate program, a Nonprofit Leadership Development Program was created. Both leadership programs were designed for nonprofit leaders who were recognized as having great potential and who were ready to enhance their knowledge, skills and framework to lead nonprofit organizations in an ever-changing and diverse society.

Now after three cohorts of leadership certificate graduates and one cohort of leadership development graduates, The Foundation’s Carolina Academy for Nonprofits has become a leader in courageously charting a course of leadership education for nonprofit organizations in South Carolina. To date, 30 nonprofit leaders have emerged with greater knowledge, more confidence and increased capacity to lead in his/her organization. One graduate stated,

My experience as an Academy student has equipped me with an array of information, tools, and knowledge. I have gained a deepened understanding of, and appreciation for, interacting with agency stakeholders including co-workers, staff, administrators/board members, funders and other external partners. Establishing a set of best practices that can be used to improve agency processes has supported my goal of enhancing project design, implementation and partnerships. Most importantly, my Academy participation helped me to find my voice, and valuing the significance it brings. As a result, my passion has been reignited to improve the lives of my constituency.

As we begin our 2012-2013 cohorts of students, we do so with a certainty that we are doing our part to continue to answer the questions, “who do we have, what do they need to do and are they equipped to do it?” We are in the business of transformation and we are doing it one leader at a time.

Katrina Spigner is the senior program officer at the Sisters of Charity Foundation of South Carolina

Feast of St. Augustine

Today, August 28, is the Feast Day of St. Augustine, Bishop of Hippo in North Africa and one of the doctors of the Church. St. Augustine overcame strong heresies, practiced great poverty and supported the poor, preached very often and prayed with great fervor.

In 1851 four Sisters of Charity of St. Augustine (CSA) Sisters embarked on a two week voyage from France to Cleveland, Ohio. This began 156 years of service by hundreds of dynamic religious women responding to unmet needs of people in Ohio and South Carolina. Long before the American workplace widely accepted women in professional roles, these Sisters were directing major health care institutions, teaching in schools and developing new programs to provide needed human services. The first CSAs in America served as the first public health nurses in Cleveland, Ohio. Led by a mission to continue Christ’s healing ministry, the Sisters of Charity of St. Augustine have built a legacy of caring that continues today.

The health and human service ministries of the CSA Congregation are now overseen by the Sisters of Charity Health System. The Health System embodies the values and philosophy of the Sisters of Charity of St. Augustine and their mission to continue the healing ministry of Jesus Christ. The Health System provides oversight, leadership and strategic direction to more than 20 ministries in Ohio and South Carolina. In South Carolina there are five ministries: Providence Hospital, Providence Hospital Northeast, South Carolina Center for Fathers and Families, Healthy Learners and Sisters of Charity Foundation of South Carolina.

The Sisters of Charity Foundation of South Carolina continues the mission of the Sisters by strategically using resources to reduce poverty through action, advocacy and leadership.

St. Augustine's Prayer to the Holy Spirit
Breathe in me, O Holy Spirit, that my thoughts may all be holy. Act in me, O Holy Spirit, that my work, too, may be holy. Draw my heart, O Holy Spirit, that I love but what is holy. Strengthen me, O Holy Spirit, to defend all that is holy. Guard me, then, O Holy Spirit, that I always may be holy. Amen.

In Catholicism,  Feast Days, or Holy Days, are days which are celebrated in commemoration of the sacred events recorded in the history of our redemption, in memory of the Virgin Mother of Christ, or of His apostles, martyrs and saints, by special services and rest from work.  Catholic saints are holy people and human people who lived extraordinary lives. Each saint the Church honors responded to God's invitation to use his or her unique gifts. God calls each one of us to be a saint. 


(This was post originally appeared on the Foundation's blog in August 2010.)

Looking at Poverty Differently

One often wonders about how to best serve the poor and marginalized in our communities. We wonder whether we are maximizing our resources to have lasting results. Recently, I met “Toxic Charity” author Robert Lupton at a meeting in Myrtle Beach, S.C. Lupton shed tremendous light on some of the concerns around serving the poor.  

At the Sisters of Charity Foundation of South Carolina, we recognize a distinct separation between generational poverty and situational poverty, and how we address them both. We view generational poverty as chronic, with many variables that have caused a person to live in poverty, including family structure, community structure, educational attainment, access to health care, life skills, culture, value and attitudes. We view situational poverty as crisis poverty. A person is without food, clothing or shelter or in need of medical attention now but has no health insurance coverage.  These two distinctions are very apparent and both are worthy of the Foundation’s attention and resources. In the Foundation’s case, more than 85% of our grant funding goes to addressing generational poverty. We feel we have greater impact in South Carolina addressing generational poverty, but we also realize that situational and crisis poverty exists and needs support.

Lupton explained the dilemma faced with providing services through our government, churches and nonprofit organizations. Lupton believes, and I agree, that we often apply crisis tactics to chronic problems, even when the situation is clearly persistent. Applying crisis intervention to a chronic issue can be harmful to a person or a family and it fosters dependency, which perpetuates poverty. This is why people who are poor remain poor.

The question becomes “what can we do differently?” Lupton feels the most important factor missing in most service programs for the poor is that the recipient has no “skin in the game.” You give them something the first time and they appreciate it. You give them something a second time and they anticipate it. You give them something a third time and they expect it. You give it a fourth time and they depend on it. If you really look closely at a person in poverty, odds are that they would much rather be a partner or participant than a charity case.  That is why free clothes closets are not good but thrift stores work. That is why free food banks foster dependency but inexpensive food co-ops allow the person to become a customer.

A lot of organizations are trying very hard to do the right thing for others. This is in no way to criticize the good intentions that organizations have or the work that they do. This is about looking at those we want to help, differently. This is about respecting the client and building their ability to be self sufficient. As Lupton said, “We never do for someone else what they are capable of doing for themselves.”

Communities and organizations dealing with issues around poverty must be willing to shift. The United States gives away more food, money and services than any other country in the world. But rather than just giving it away, can we find new ways to partner or help individuals become more independent? If so, they will become respected and confident consumers with a greater sense of self worth. It will also create an environment where individuals are no longer viewed as “charity” and where chronic issues are addressed more strategically and more collegially.

These kinds of changes will have a positive impact on the entire community. I invite you to read Lupton’s book, “Toxic Charity: HowChurches and Charities Hurt Those They Help (And How to Reverse It).” It will change the way you look at those you are trying to help. It sure makes sense to me. 

Tom Keith is the president of the Sisters of Charity Foundation of South Carolina

Note: Learn how one Sisters of Charity Foundation of South Carolina grantee puts Lupton's thoughts into practice. Reverend Bill Stanfield, co-founder and chief executive officer of the Metanoia Community Development Corporation of North Charleston, shared a first-hand example of how to build a strong community using the strengths of the community rather than the deficiencies.

Philanthropy: Engaging and Equipping the Next Generation

How will the next generation of leaders contribute to the world of philanthropy or will they? Giving time, money and talent has been a hallmark of society in America for decades and even centuries. People have given their time, talent and treasure to schools, churches, civic organizations and a host of other nonprofit endeavors. Previous generations, including both my parents and grandparents, did their part to support and give of themselves. It was engrained in their culture. 
 
We now have an intelligent and sophisticated group of young people that will soon enter the workforce. We need to be sure to expose this next generation to philanthropy the way the last two generations before me. 
 
The Sisters of Charity Foundation of South Carolina is embarking on a new partnership designed to educate and inspire today’s college students about the world of philanthropy. Our goal is to help them understand the philosophical underpinnings of the philanthropic sector by hearing and learning from leaders across the southeast. We help educate students about the operational and organizational aspects of the field of philanthropy including: 

• What it means to serve on a board
• What it means to create a Trust to give funds to the community
• What it means to work in the field of philanthropy and nonprofits
• What the jobs are in these sectors and what skills are needed to fill those jobs
• How to understand issues that impact the community and 
• How an individual can make a difference.

Once these areas are covered, the students will create a project that will benefit an underserved population in their community. The project will build on the students’ skills and abilities. “Hands on” experiences have much value and enable students to learn and grow very quickly. It is an opportunity to put into practice what they are taught in the classroom. 
 
With their peers, students will explore the breadth and depth of the nonprofit sector, acquiring the aptitude, knowledge and network to engage with philanthropy in a deliberate way. In the coming months, the Foundation will announce the partnership and this new program for next generation leaders.
 
I am very optimistic about the upcoming generation of leaders. Given the right tools and exposure to good role models, they will carry the torch of leadership in philanthropy well into the future. As a philanthropic Foundation, we will do our part to ensure this happens. 

Tom Keith is the president of the Sisters of Charity Foundation of South Carolina

All of South Carolina’s Fathers and Children Deserve to Celebrate this Father’s Day

Father’s Day is a special time of the year.  It is a time to celebrate. It is a time to be thankful.  It is an opportunity to spend time with our fathers or reflect on the memories we have of fathers no longer with us.  Also, as fathers, we can think about those special times we have had with our own children. However, many children will spend this Father’s Day without a dad involved in their lives. An important initiative of the Sisters of Charity Foundation of South Carolina is to reconnect fathers and their children. In many of South Carolina’s poor communities, the absence of a father in the household is pervasive. Research shows that father absence leads to negative outcomes for children and bears significant social and economic consequences.   

Since 1998, our Foundation has invested more than $18 million to reengage fathers and their children, and help fathers become contributing members of society. Our fatherhood programs around South Carolina support relationship building, job training, GED attainment, child support payment, health access and other important programs and resources that help fathers assimilate back into a productive family life.

Last year, more than 1,700 men were served through the South Carolina Center for Fathers and Families, an outgrowth of the Foundation’s Fatherhood Initiative.  Of these men, 527 gained employment and an additional 261 men received a better paying job. Nearly one third of these fathers improved their relationship with their child or children.

One extremely important financial statistic is that these fathers paid $1,151,759 in child support payments in 2011 and $188,000 in arrears payments.  Had fatherhood programs not existed for these men, they likely would have landed in jail at great expense to South Carolina taxpayers. This year, 2012, marks the ten-year anniversary of the Foundation’s establishment of the South Carolina Center for Fathers and Families. Over the past decade, thousands of men were served throughout state. Thousands of men have entered the workforce and millions of dollars were collected in child support payments. There are no quick fixes or easy answers to a lot of the problems these fathers face. Fatherhood programs through the Center are changing the lives of fathers and children and the results are measurable and successful. 

This is a time in which we express gratitude for our own fathers and for our own children. South Carolinians should also be grateful for programs and services that are provided for those fathers that have very few options and are struggling to meet their parental and financial obligations. Let’s hope that this Father’s Day is special for all of South Carolina’s fathers and their children. They truly deserve it.

Tom Keith is the president of the Sisters of Charity Foundation of South Carolina.

KIDS COUNT Releases Report on Kinship Care

More than 2.7 million children in the United States are cared for by extended family members, with more than 5.8 million children living in grandparents’ homes. This represents an increase close to 18 percent in the last decade. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, 13.1 percent of South Carolina’s children under the age of 18 live in households led by grandparents or other relatives.

Kinship care refers to grandparents and other relatives who have stepped up to raise children whose parents can no longer care for them. Kinship care givers help keep families together and keep children from entering the foster care system. However, these relative caregivers and the children they are raising are often isolated. They lack the knowledge on the support services, resources, programs, benefits, laws and policies available to help them successfully fulfill their caregiving role.

In April the Sisters of Charity Foundation of South Carolina held a listening session focused on the perspectives of kinship care providers, a growing and vulnerable population across South Carolina. The Foundation partnered with one of its current grantees, Helping and Lending Outreach Support (HALOS), which provides resources and special opportunities to abused and/or neglected children and their caregivers through partnerships with faith-based and other community organizations in Charleston and the surrounding area.

Read the report summarizing the Kinship Care Listening Session.

Today, the Annie E. Casey Foundation KIDS COUNT released a report, Stepping Up for Kids: What Government and Communities Should Do to Support Kinship Families. In this report, the Annie E. Casey Foundation Foundation explores the increased number of children living with kinship care providers, including the latest state data and recommendations on how to support kinship families.

The Sisters of Charity Foundation of South Carolina continues to explore the issues affecting these families and how they can receive the resources and support needed.

Brooke Bailey is the director of communications and public policy for the Sisters of Charity Foundation of South Carolina

Your Voice Matters: Reflecting on 2011 Listening Sessions

Sometimes the most meaningful and humbling human encounters we have with each other is when we pause and step away from the distractions of emails, smart phones and our “to do” list, to listen to the heartfelt concerns of others that can only be experienced in conversations together. In 2011, the Sisters of Charity Foundation of South Carolina hosted four Listening Sessions across the state with over 200 community members representing nearly 100 organizations participating. Each person present lent their unique voice and perspective to the challenges and opportunities families experiencing poverty currently face. 

In April, Foundation board and staff listened first-hand to more than 20 college students from Claflin University in Orangeburg, some of whom were first generation college students and participants in the federal TRIO program. These students shared some of the struggles they faced in completing high school, their dreams for their future, the importance of positive role models and the many steps of faith they took in order to pursue higher education. One young adult shared, “It’s not how much you have; it’s what you do with what you have.” We also met with committed community advocates and leaders working each day to address poverty in their community.

In celebration of Father’s Day, the Foundation partnered with the South Carolina Center for Fathers and Families, in June, to hear the perspectives of fathers from each of the six fatherhood programs throughout the state. Becoming a father was transformational, as one father expressed the sentiments of all the fathers in the room, “My kids inspire, uplift and motivate me to be a better man and father.” The fathers shared from their heart life circumstances before joining the fatherhood program, how they were able to move forward with the support of fatherhood program staff and the many ways hope has been rebirthed in their lives. 

 In July, Foundation representatives met with community service providers and homeless individuals and families to hear from those experiencing poverty and homelessness in Greenville. The Foundation heard multiple stories of the importance of treating all individuals with dignity and respect, as one individual shared, “There is more to me than my present circumstances.” All of the families desired to keep their family unit together, were working to overcome the multiple barriers faced in order to move ahead and relayed how having people who truly cared about their well-being made the biggest difference in their life. 

In October, Women Religious in South Carolina gathered for a Listening Session, as part of the Foundation’s Collaboration for Ministry Initiative, which assists and supports Sisters in their efforts to meet the needs of the poor and underserved members of society. The Sisters reflected upon their journeys, past and present, and the future dreams they hold for their ministries. One Sister emphasized, “Start with a dream and worry about the money later. God always gives you what you need.” Their stories illustrated the many ways they acted in faith, serving as bridge builders and anchors of faith to community members.

Given the high levels of poverty in South Carolina, there is a lot of work ahead for the Foundation to achieve its vision for all families in South Carolina to have the resources they need to live out of poverty. Throughout each Listening Sessions, we are reminded of the importance of continuing our work by listening to the voices individuals of directly impacted by the issues we care deeply about. They know what is most needed to support their journey. When we stop to listen, we often hear the answers to some of our most pressing challenges today. Let us continue to listen, their voices matter.

Read the full summary of the 2011 Listening Sessions.

Stephanie Cooper-Lewter is the senior director of research for the Sisters of Charity Foundation of South Carolina

Easter Greetings

The Lord is Risen.


May the glory of the Lord’s miracle
strengthen your faith
and renew your hope.
May you rejoice
in the triumph of the Lord,
and may your life be blessed
with His love
on Easter and always.


"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead," -1 Peter 1:3

The Importance of Your Reputation

How important is an organization’s reputation in today’s competitive marketplace? It is not an exact science but it is incessantly important and there is no denying it. An organization’s reputation is everything. It is fundamental to every fabric of an organization’s ability to be successful. It is crucial to recruiting board members, raising money and delivering services; once your reputation is tainted, it is very hard to recover.

So the question becomes, “how do you protect your reputation?” Here are some key principles I believe are valuable and will give you something to reflect on.

• Mission first. No matter what you do, always have the mission of the organization at the forefront of every decision. Ask yourself the question, “how does this affect the mission?”
• Be transparent. You should be an open book and be willing to share information, including financial information freely
• Communicate the good work you are doing. Other people will benefit from the knowledge of your work and gain a positive impression because of it.
• Build strong ambassadors. You can’t do it alone. Whether it is a board member or other volunteers, your network will expand and your reputation will improve because others are also singing your praises to the community.
• Listen to your clients. It helps fulfill your goals by incorporating certain expectations and suggestions that clients have of you. They are your most important stakeholders.
• Learn from your mistakes. We all make them and we can all do a better job because we have learned a valuable lesson from them.
• Be passionate. If you don’t show enthusiasm, how can anyone else get enthused?
• Be honest and forthright. There is no better way to protect your reputation than truth and honesty.
• Quality is essential. Whether it is a letter, a brochure, a presentation, a newsletter or something else, the quality must always be exemplary.
• Look and act professional. People associate you with the organization you represent. How you look and what you say is paramount to your organization’s reputation.
• Be respectful and patient. No matter how stressed and overwhelmed you are, take the time to engage others in conversations and discussions. Be open to dialogue and never be in too big of a hurry to talk or share.

Organizational success is harder to find today than ever before. There are a lot of reasons for today’s level of parody. It is our work environment, competition, economy and a saturated market that can significantly impact nonprofit organizations. A competitive advantage can be achieved by using some of these simple principles. Your reputation may be your greatest asset. You must protect it and nurture it. Not once in awhile, but every day. If you can do that, then it will add to your success and help bring others along to insure future successes. It may not be a check from a donor but it is just as important.


Tom Keith is the president of the Sisters of Charity Foundation of South Carolina.

Our Eyes Were Opened: The Experience of Poverty

On February 28, 2012, the Sisters of Charity Foundation of South Carolina co-sponsored a poverty simulation with The Cooperative Ministry held at NorthStar Christian Center in Columbia. Facilitated by Beth Templeton of United Ministries, the poverty simulation provided participants who came from locations across the state with a deeper understanding of the day-to-day realities facing individuals and families experiencing poverty.

The poverty simulation could not have been timelier. Based on the most recent data available through the KIDSCOUNT Data Center, South Carolina has the 7th highest poverty rate in the nation, with 18% of the population with incomes below the federal poverty level. In 2010, a family of two adults and two children fell in the “poverty” category if their annual income fell below $22,113. Imagine living on an income of less than $22,113 for a family of four. That’s exactly what participants were asked to do in the poverty simulation. 
 

As part of the poverty simulation, each participant was assigned to a family based on real-life scenarios that every day people encounter. As the weeks passed during the simulation, participants felt a growing sense of desperation, anger, frustration and heartache as they realized their families many needs could not be met within the month. Some participants were forced to choose between purchasing weekly groceries, rent or making payment on a loan to the bank for a car that no longer worked. Some participants lost their employment due to an unexpected illness, having to take care of other family responsibilities or the inflexibility to access services outside of their work day. Some families had to leave their children at home unattended in order to tend to other competing, more pressing family responsibilities. Some participants needed specific job skills while others needed a better education in order to be employed. Even some with employable skills found that there were no jobs available or lacked transportation to get to work. Some started out homeless, while others lost their housing throughout the course of the month. Some were elderly and remained unnoticed by the community around them. 

Throughout the course of the poverty simulation, only a few families managed to move ahead. It was difficult for most to overcome their presenting situations, given the limited resources available based on their various family starting points. Most of us forget how many resources it takes to truly move out of poverty, given the range of financial, social and human capital resources needed. As participants reflected on the poverty simulation experience, many left with a deepened understanding of the financial pressures faced by low-income families in meeting basic needs; the difficult choices people with few resources need to make each month when stretching a limited income; the difficulties in improving one’s situation and becoming self-sufficient on a limited income; the emotional stresses and frustrations created by having limited income; as well as the positive and negative impact of the social service system on people with limited resources. 
 

The poverty simulation illustrated that moving out of poverty is never an easy task. In fact, it is often overwhelming and hopeless. For most of the participants, this was just a poverty simulation. They drove their vehicles back to their jobs, families and homes for the night not worrying about whether or not we would have food on the table for dinner. For the more than 815,000 people in South Carolina who live in poverty, this is their daily reality. The poverty simulation reminded us there is much more to each person we encounter every day than their present circumstances. Let us not forget the needs, situations, challenges and struggles families experiencing poverty face. And let us commit to continue with renewed energy to work alongside individuals and families in need. 

Stephanie Cooper-Lewter is the senior director of research for the Sisters of Charity Foundation of South Carolina