120 Main Street Greenwood, SC 29646 | (864) 941-4011 or (864) 953-2441
SIGNATURE PROJECTS
Montessori Education
For the past 10 years, the Foundation has funded the expansion of Montessori education in South Carolina’s public schools by supporting teacher training at Lander University and to upfit classrooms around the state. In 2017, an objective evaluation showed children in Montessori classrooms made significant learning gains when compared to non-Montessori peers.
Call Me Mister
In 2000, the Foundation provided seed money to Clemson University to start the “Call Me Mister” program – designed to increase the ranks of African-American male teachers in South Carolina’s public schools. Today, the program exists on 19 college campuses in the state, and graduates have taught more than 100,000 students, many in the state’s poorest schools.
Greenwood Railroad Historical Center
The era from 1900 to 1950 was a heyday for rail transportation in Greenwood, and the Greenwood Railroad Historical Center captures that history through a collection of seven refurbished railcars. The Foundation provided funds to refurbish the Piedmont & Northern Executive Car, which most often carried railroad executives and board members, including our founder Mr. Jim Self.
Community Initiatives
Nestled in the heart of the former Mathews Mill Village, Community Initiatives provides a full spectrum of services to area families, with an eye toward overall wellness. From free health clinics, to summer camps, to the Safe Haven afterschool program and more. A grant from the Foundation helped purchase a permanent home for Community Initiatives at the former Mathews Mill Village Community Center.
Dr. Benjamin E. Mays Historic Site
When the childhood home of renowned civil rights leader Dr. Benjamin E. Mays was in jeopardy, the Foundation provided funding to relocate it from an isolated spot to a new setting in Greenwood. That structure now anchors the Dr. Benjamin E. Mays Historic Site, which also features a museum and a one-room schoolhouse.
Greenwood Promise
We believe that every child deserves a chance at higher education. The Foundation was a lead funder for The Greenwood Promise, a tuition assistance program that guarantees “last-dollar” funding for two years of study at Piedmont Technical College for any student who graduates from a Greenwood County public or private school.
Project Hope
No other South Carolina organization offers as broad an array of support across the autism spectrum as Project Hope. From children to adults, and from mild to severe cases, Project Hope provides a full spectrum of support to those with autism and their families. A lead gift from the Foundation helped bring the Project Hope Autism Therapy Center to Greenwood.
Self Family Endowed Chair
for Human Genetics
The Foundation has been a longtime supporter of the Greenwood Genetic Center. We’re proud to fund the Self Family Endowed Chair as part of the Clemson Center for Human Genetics, which is housed on the Greenwood Genetic Center campus.
