The Spartanburg County Foundation presented TOTAL Ministries with a check for $1,500 on Thursday. The charity was one of five awarded funding through the foundation’s “Just Because” grant giveaway program. Traci Kennedy, executive director of TOTAL Ministries, accepts the check from Troy Hanna, president and CEO of the foundation.
The Spartanburg County Foundation presented TOTAL Ministries with a check for $1,500 on Thursday. The charity was one of five awarded funding through the foundation’s “Just Because” grant giveaway program. Traci Kennedy, executive director of TOTAL Ministries, accepts the check from Troy Hanna, president and CEO of the foundation.
Several area nonprofits were surprised on Thursday when they received grants from the Spartanburg County Foundation.
The Foundation awarded funding to Greater Spartanburg Ministries, TOTAL Ministries, Helping Hands Ministries of Woodruff, Hub City Writers Project and Teen Straight Talk.
Foundation officials surprised the agencies by showing up at their offices with giant checks. It is part of the foundation’s “Just Because” grant giveaway program, which started last year. The foundation surprises the agencies with “ambush philanthropy.”
TOTAL Ministries received $1,500, Greater Spartanburg Ministries received $3,000, Helping Hands Ministries of Woodruff received $1,200, Hub City Writers Project received $3,400 and Teen Straight Talk received $500.
TOTAL Ministries will use the money to help clients pay utility bills.
“I had no idea. I thought (the foundation) was coming in for a tour,” said Traci Kennedy, executive director of TOTAL Ministries.
She was surprised and grateful when the foundation staff presented her with the giant check.
“That’s huge for this time of year,” Kennedy said. “We have a lot of people coming in that are needing help. The need in Spartanburg is gigantic.”
Troy Hanna, president and CEO of the foundation, said the unannounced grants are a way to highlight existing programs and encourage donors to give.
Photo by John Byrum
Published in The Spartanburg Herald-Journal and GoUpstate.com: Thursday, December 17, 2015 at 6:36 p.m.
Confirmed in compliance with National Standards for U.S. Community Foundations.