'Philanthropy is not a solo act'

The title of this blog is borrowed from an article on the web site of the CHRONICLE OF PHILANTHROPY that is about the Giving Pledge that garnered a great deal of news coverage on Wednesday. This article discusses how much the idea of philanthropy has evolved since 1899 when Andrew Carnegie attempted to persuade some of his rich friends to give away some of their money.

While the article catches my interest because of my involvement with The Byerly Foundation, it is also of most interest because I serve as a board member from Darlington County on the Eastern Carolina Community Foundation. The ECCF is the first community foundation to be established to serve the Pee Dee of South Carolina. The Eastern Carolina Community Foundation, which was founded in 2006, joins at least seven other community foundations in South Carolina. Those Foundation in total have assets of more than $350 million in philanthropic funds. The largest community foundation in the State is the Coastal Community Foundation, which is located in Charleston, SC with assets around the $110 million mark.

The purpose of community foundations is to make philanthropy efficient, effective and energizing for both the donors and the communities and projects they serve. Donors can set up dedicated funds that are managed by the Foundation, allowing them to let the paperwork and the worries rest with the Foundation while the donors get a say in helping direct the monies to those areas they most want to serve.

There is a lot more to the story of community foundations in general and the Eastern Carolina Community Foundation in particular. Anyone wishing to know more about the ECCF, which is headquartered in Florence, should call Susan Bankston, executive director, at 843-667-1131. A major advantage of the community foundation concept is that the funds develop much more power working together than they can ever have alone.