SPC Cares Foundation Supports United Way of Greater Hartsville's Roof Repair Initiative

A $25,000 matching gift from SPC Credit Union’s SPC Cares Foundation will enable the United Way of Greater Hartsville to cover the costs of roof replacements for eight Darlington County homeowners. This dollar-for-dollar matching campaign was made possible by the determination of the United Way of Greater Hartsville’s Executive Director, Joann DeLong, who worked tirelessly throughout the month of April to raise $25,000 in order to qualify for the Cares Foundation’s matching funds to meet the campaign goal of $50,000.

Area locals will recall this campaign from years past, fondly dubbed “Christmas in April.” Historically, this program primarily targeted elderly residents of Hartsville who were living on income from Social Security and often faced the difficult decision of affording food, heat, or medications. Many were also raising grandchildren. As a result, any home repair was squarely out of reach. The Christmas in April campaign addressed the needs of these homeowners through a systematic approach that brought elderly residents a feeling of joy equal to that of their younger counterparts at Christmas. Although the official Christmas in April campaign lost its momentum and funding several years back, the housing repair needs of local low-income seniors have persisted, as has DeLong’s determination to meet those needs. She shared, “My goal is to work with our struggling, low-income seniors to replace roofs. However, it is my hope that we will have other contributions come in so that we can expand on this.”

Linda Weatherford, President and CEO of SPC Credit Union, said of the Credit Union’s investment in this need: “The SPC Cares Foundation’s focus on housing and hunger make it an ideal partner for this project.” Under her leadership, the Foundation’s Advisory Committee approved a matching gift of up to $25,000 that was granted to the United Way of Greater Hartsville following a successful internal fundraising campaign to raise the $25,000 base.

The United Way of Greater Hartsville keeps a running list of incoming requests that are addressed as funding becomes available. The current list includes eight roof replacements, four families in need of heat pumps, one elderly man with rotted flooring beneath his commode, one elderly widow raising three grandsons whose water bill is triple what it ought to be, an elderly man in need of a new water heater, and another elderly woman raising her grandsons in a mobile home littered with holes in the floor. The $50,000 sum will be designated to roofing repairs, followed by subsequent repair needs listed above, if excess funding remains. DeLong initiated the first roofing project in early June.

In order to qualify for assistance for roof and housing repairs through the United Way of Greater Hartsville, the home must be owner-occupied and property taxes must be current. The United Way also requires that contractors provide quotes prior to beginning work on the home and that contractors be local, bonded/insured, and licensed. Quotes, payments, and photographs are documented for immediate review and reporting. Projects are accepted on a referral basis from churches, doctor’s offices, and insurance companies rather than an open application process. Priority is given to seniors, veterans, and the disabled.

The SPC Cares Foundation was established in 2024 as a way for SPC Credit Union to strategically support four key development issues: Hunger, Housing, Employment, & Education. The Foundation supports communities in Darlington, Florence, Chesterfield, and Marlboro Counties through monetary donations, in-kind donation drives, and volunteerism. The Foundation includes a Community Impact Fund, SPC Scholarship Fund, Down Payment Assistance Fund, and the Member Hardship Fund.