Central Carolina Community Foundation

Hootie & The Blowfish Foundation

Hootie & The Blowfish Foundation was established in 2000 to create an endowment that benefits children of South Carolina through education and music programs. Darius Rucker, Jim "Soni" Sonefield, Dean Felber and Mark Bryan have embraced their fortuitous career with the community that supports them.

By establishing a foundation, Hootie & The Blowfish is creating opportunities for children throughout South Carolina.  Central Carolina Community Foundation administers the grant process for Hootie & The Blowfish Foundation. 

Guidelines
Checklist

DO NOT submit requests to the Community Foundation for the following:

• Performances by the band 
• Silent auction materials
• Participation by the band for events such as golf tournaments

These particular requests should be e-mailed to requests@hootie.com. 

If you have any questions, contact Veronica Pinkett-Barber, Program Officer, at 803.254.5601 x331 or veronica@yourfoundation.org. You can also visit the Hootie & The Blowfish Foundation site by clicking on the image to the right.

2011 Grants

Carolina Youth Development Center - $5,000

The six week Summer Biz Camp will serve all resident students on campus, and will place targeted emphasis on those students with an Individualized Educational Plan, are behind grade level and/or who have been identified as needing reading and math support.  Up to 50 children and teens will receive services.  

Gethsemani Circle of Friends - $5,000

Gethsemani Circle of Friends provides afterschool programs for approximately 200 low-income, socially and economically disadvantaged youth in the community of Union Heights.  Funds awarded will be used to purchase and outfit 20 fully equipped computer stations at Gethsemani Center for the students.  Access to educational software to supplement and maintain their skills will be available to students during the school year and throughout the summer months. 

Givhans Alternative Program - $2,000

The Givhans Alternative Program is a Dorchester District II program that serves as a positive alternative to expulsion for students in grades 6-12.  The Character Education Curriculum will help teachers demonstrate, model and teach positive behavior approaches that will improve students’ social behaviors, increase attention to learning, decrease the number of expulsions from the program and keep more students in school and off the streets.  

Kingdom Reapers Ministry - $5,000

The Summer School Program serves 80 to 100 children each year from the East Bluff and Central Downtown economically challenged communities.  Students participate in educational classes as well as recreational activities.  The Back to School Bash prepares students to go back to school and provides school supplies and book bags.  The program includes speakers who talk to the children and their parents about gang violence, fire safety, dental hygiene and the importance of staying in school.  Both of these programs are provided to participants at no cost.  

The Nurturing Center - $5,000

The Nurturing Center created a pilot program specifically for teen fathers.  The program will run in collaboration with the six high schools they are currently working with in Richland School District One.  The main goal of the program is to help students achieve academic success by keeping the teens in school and helping them progress to the next grade.  Secondary goals include reducing the likelihood of repeat teen pregnancy and having an impact on the teen father’s ability to parent.  

Palmetto Health Foundation - $5,000

The goal of the Cribs for Kids program is to increase education and awareness of safer sleep practices for infants and to provide disadvantaged families with a safe sleep environment:  the safety-approved Graco Pack ‘n Play Crib.  Funds requested provided for 100 cribs in the Midlands area. 

Pattison’s D.R.E.A.M. Academy - $5,000

The pediatric physical therapy practice provides therapy and support to children throughout the tri-county area who are living with a variety of special needs.  Funds awarded are specifically for non-billable services, including assistive technology evaluations, feeding consultations/assessments, family correspondence and occupational or speech therapists who support teachers in the classroom.  These services are not support by public education funding or private insurance companies.  

Riverbanks Zoo and Garden - $5,000

The Helping Hands – Teens in Action program involves Boys & Girls Clubs of the Midlands high school students and inspires them to become advocates for wildlife and active community members through training in team work, diversity, tolerance, conservation and volunteerism.  ZooTeens develop personal and professional skills to equip them to live and work in a diverse society while building the capacity of the Riverbanks Zoo and Garden to educate individuals through integrated and inclusive programming both on and off Zoo grounds.  

The Walker Foundation - $5,000

Funds will allow the SC School for the Deaf and the Blind to provide a fine arts experience for students with a visual or hearing impairment.   Children can apply to be part of this camp in the five arts disciplines:  music, dance, visual art, theater, and creative writing.  The camp will run concurrently with summer programs already offered and established at the SC School for the Deaf and the Blind, in order to be more cost effective.