Organization: FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH FOUNDATION
Mission: TO BENEFIT FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH AND OTHER CHRISTIAN MISSIONS, MINISTRIES AND ORGANIZATIONS SUPPORTED BY FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.
Activities: THE FOUNDATION HOLDS ENDOWMENT FUNDS THAT ARE DEDICATED TO THE SUPPORT OF STUDENTS WHO ARE MEMBERS OF THE FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH AND ARE ATTENDING VARIOUS COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES. APPLICATIONS ARE SUBMITTED TO THE BOARD OF DEACONS OF FIRST PRESBYTERIAN WHO RECOMMEND THE RECIPIENTS OF THE AVAILABLE FUNDS. IN THE YEAR 2019, $31,350 WAS ALLOCATED TO THE 28 SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS WHO WERE ABLE TO USE THE FUNDS TO ATTEND THE SCHOOLS OF THEIR CHOICE. TEN DIFFERENT SCHOOLS RECEIVED CHECKS ON BEHALF OF THESE STUDENTS TO OFFSET A PORTION OF THEIR TUITION AND FEES.
NEIGHBORHOOD FOCUS IS AN ORGANIZATION THAT HAS BEEN SUPPORTED BY THE FOUNDATION FOR MANY YEARS. ITS MISSION IS TO PROVIDE A FREE, FAITH-BASED OUT-OF-SCHOOL-TIME PROGRAM WITH YEAR-ROUND ACADEMIC SUPPORT, SPIRITUAL ENRICHMENT, CHARACTER EDUCATION AND LIFE SKILLS DEVELOPMENT FOR UNDER-RESOURCED CHILDREN AND STUDENTS. PARTICIPANTS IN THE VARIOUS PROGRAMS OF NEIGHBORHOOD FOCUS ARE PRIMARILY MINORITIES WHO LIVE IN THE WHITE HORSE ROAD CORRIDOR, WITH MOST HAVING A HISPANIC BACKGROUND AND OFTEN STRUGGLE WITH LANGUAGE DIFFICULTIES. ONE OF THE PROGRAMS IS AN AFTER SCHOOL TUTUORIAL PROGRAM WHICH MAKES EXTENSIVE USE OF VOLUNTEERS, MANY OF THEM LANGUAGE STUDENTS FROM NEARBY FURMAN UNIVERSITY. ANOTHER HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL PROGRAM OF NEIGHBORHOOD FOCUS IS A SUMMER ENRICHMENT PROGRAM THAT PROVIDES A DAY CAMP EXPERIENCE FOR STUDENTS IN GRADES 2-12 WHO MIGHT OTHERWISE NOT HAVE A SAFE PLACE TO STAY OR ANYTHING MEANINGFUL TO DO. INSTEAD, THEY ARE PROVIDED TIME FOR BIBLE STUDY, SOCIAL INTERACTION WITH OTHER CAMPERS AND COUNSELORS, GAMES, LUNCHES, AND MANY FIELD TRIPS DURING THE COURSE OF THEIR CAMPING EXPERIENCE. A THIRD COMPONENT OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD FOCUS PROGRAM REACHES OUT TO THE FAMILIES OF THE PARTICIPANTS WITH FRIDAY NIGHT CLUBS WITH A BRIEF DEVOTIONAL, GAMES, AND A MEAL.
A NEW PROGRAM OF THE FOUNDATION IN 2019 WAS THE PARITAL FUNDING OF EASTERN DOMINICAN CHRISTIAN MINISTRIES. THE GRANT PROVIDED $5,000 FOR THE PLANTING OF A CHURCH IN AN AREA WHERE FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH HAS BEEN GOING ON MISSION TRIPS FOR MANY YEARS. IN ADDITION TO THE CHURCH PLANTING FUNDS, THE FOUNDATION PROVIDED $3,600 IN 2019 FOR THE SUPPORT OF THE PASTOR, WITH A PROMISE OF THE SAME AMOUNT IN 2020 AND 2021. THIS CHURCH PLANT IS BUILDING NOT ONLY ON THE CHURCH'S MANY MISSION TRIPS BUT ALSO ON A PRIOR RELATIONSHIP ESTABLISHED THROUGH ESPERANZA'S SMALL LOAN PROGRAM FOR ENTREPRENEURS IN THIS AREA OF GREAT POVERTY. THE FOUNDATION HAD PLEDGED $25,000 IN MATCHING FUNDS TO ASSIST IN THE RAISING OF A TOTAL AMOUNT FOR SMALL LOANS OF $50,000.
NTEE category: Religion-Related
Secondary category: Community Improvement & Capacity Building