Upcountry Fiber Foundation awards $20,000 to four Upstate South Carolina groups

Upcountry Fiber Foundation distributed $20,000 on Nov. 2 to four nonprofit organizations serving Upstate South Carolina. The foundation operates as the charitable division of Upcountry Fiber, an internet provider created through a partnership between Blue Ridge Electric Cooperative and West Carolina.

Each recipient received a grant of $5,000. The group includes Honor Flight Upstate SC, which funds all-expense one-day trips for local veterans to Washington, D.C. It also includes InspireAbilities of Anderson County, an organization providing services to people with intellectual disabilities, autism spectrum disorder, and head or spinal cord injuries.

Soapstone Preservation Endowment received one of the grants. This public charity works to preserve the history of the Liberia Community, Soapstone Baptist Church, and Soapstone School in Pickens County. The final grant went to the Tribble Center, which offers services for individuals with disabilities and special needs in Oconee County.

Jim Lovinggood, president and CEO of Blue Ridge Electric Cooperative and co-chair of the foundation, noted the direct impact of the funds. "Each of these organizations meets people right where they are," Lovinggood said. He added that the grants support needs ranging from veterans' homecomings to children finding ways to communicate.

The foundation supports nonprofits focused on education, youth, culture, arts, and health and human services. The organization stated that these specific grants go to work in the communities where its members live. More information about the foundation is available at upcountryfiber.com/foundation.