DI Community Fund and Foundation provides relief in 2020

When people are in need, the Daniel Island community steps up. In 2020, two Daniel Island charitable organizations gave $661,359 to local nonprofits. The Daniel Island Community Fund and Foundation support community enhancement projects and philanthropic initiatives on Daniel Island and the Cainhoy peninsula. 

 

Over the past several years, the organizations have helped more than 100,000 people.

 

“The philanthropic spirit of Daniel Island is what sets us apart from other master-planned communities,” said Jane Baker, vice president of community services for the Daniel Island Property Owners’ Association. “Having the two non-profit vehicles allows us to directly impact thousands of lives.”

 

The Daniel Island Community Fund (DICF) provides grants to local nonprofits and is supported by a half percent community enhancement fee from every real estate transaction on the island. Its grants committee is made up of Daniel Island residents who choose what organizations to support. In 2020, DICF was able to fill all its 29 grant requests which totaled $273,990 in donations. 

 

The Daniel Island Community Foundation is supported by donations given directly by island residents, businesses and employees. Its resident advisory committee identifies charitable causes important to residents. Each year it selects six organizations to support in fundraising initiatives, which are matched up to $5,000 by DICF.  In 2020, the foundation and its matching campaign distributed $237,369 to American Red Cross, Dee Norton Child Advocacy Center, East Cooper Community Outreach, East Cooper Meals on

Wheels, Lowcountry Food Bank and Shifa Medical Clinic.

 

“This year with COVID-19, we definitely had a higher need for human services like food pantries and medical clinics, so we really focused on the basic human needs organizations,” Baker said.

 

On Giving Tuesday, Dec. 1, DICF gave an additional $150,000 distributed evenly between three COVID-19 relief organizations to help meet urgent needs in the community. Those funds went to East Cooper Community Outreach, Shifa Medical Clinic and Lowcountry Food Bank. 

 

“Hunger is a 365-day-a-year challenge for many, many people and it’s not going to go away when Jan. 1st comes around,” said Brenda Shaw, chief development officer for Lowcountry Food Bank. “We are having to purchase more food than we’ve ever had to purchase and the cost of food has increased as well.”