Basic Needs

We envision a future where everyone has access to food, shelter, clothing, healthcare, basic materials, transportation, and a sense of security.

We seek to create a network of emergency assistance for our most vulnerable and at-risk population. To achieve our vision, we want to support programs that provide emergency assistance for food, shelter, clothing, healthcare, basic materials, and transportation.

Our Challenges in Horry County:

• 46% of food-insecure individuals are above the SNAP benefit threshold. Feeding America
• In the 2021 UWHC Community Needs Assessment:
  • 75% of participants state that they were not aware of the resources in the area.
  • 32% of participants stated that they missed a rent, mortgage, or utility payment in the last 12 months because they did not have enough money.
  • 80% of participants stated that they believe the lack of transportation in our community is a concern.

Strategies to Achieve Our Vision:

Fund:

• Programs that provide emergency assistance for food, shelter, clothing, healthcare, basic materials, and transportation
• Opportunities that restore hope and stability to clients as they move from emergency need to self-sufficiency

Advocate:

• Empower and encourage clients to be confident and active participants in their path to stability
• The opposite of poverty is not wealth; it is peace. We advocate for stability and self-sufficiency at all income levels

Collaborate:

• Create a collaborative network of services to provide complete wraparound support to our most vulnerable citizens
• Seek opportunities for unified effort to be replicated across the community and not duplicated

Educate:

• Educate the community about the value of restoring hope and stability to those experiencing a need
• Educate the community about available programming and services to support basic needs

Read more about our Community Game Plan and how we plan to focus our programs, collective impact work, and investments to meet the needs of our community through our Bold Goals.

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We are proud to grant funds to the following local agencies to help support basic needs in our community:

• Churches Assisting People
• Friendship Medical Clinic
• Helping Hand of Myrtle Beach
• Lions Vision Services
• Neighbor to Neighbor
• North Strand Helping Hand
• The Period Project

UWHC funds the following internal initiatives to help support residents of Horry County:

• Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA)
• Charity Tracker
• 211 Helpline
• Food Distributions
• Singlecare Prescription Savings

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