News

JEFSC Executive Director Phyllis Martin was honored on Oct. 25 as a Charleston Woman of Influence for her contributions to the region and state. Phyllis works to support communities through her commitment to and leadership of Jewish philanthropy throughout South Carolina. Pictured with Phyllis are Board Member Jan Lipov (left) and President Terry Fisher (right). Other JEFSC Board members who attended the event were Mike Mills, Secretary Benny Chase, and Ed Kronsberg.

JEFSC Unequivocally Stands in Solidarity with Israel

The Jewish Endowment Foundation of South Carolina (JEFSC) unequivocally stands in solidarity with Israel. Our hearts break for all Israelis and for the Israeli and American families in our region and state with family living there. 
 
While we remain grateful for your commitment to JEFSC, we hope at this time that you will join us in using our collective power to ensure the security, safety, and future of our homeland. The needs of the Jewish people in Israel right now are enormous. By working together, we can focus our philanthropic outreach where it will be the most impactful.

As leaders in the Jewish community, we encourage you to ask your family and friends to support philanthropic efforts by participating in one or more of the following ways.

• CLICK HERE to donate to Israel Emergency Fund
• CLICK HERE to donate to Zaka Israel
• CLICK HERE to register for the Charleston Jewish Community Rally for Solidarity
• CLICK HERE to tell Congress to speak out

We send prayers for the safety of our Jewish brothers and sisters and a swift, decisive end to this war.

Sept. 13, 2023
Coastal Community Foundation, Affiliates Partner to Abolish
$4 Million+ in Local Medical Debt

Coastal Community Foundation and its affiliate organizations, Waccamaw Community Foundation, Frances P. Bunnelle Foundation, and the Jewish Endowment Foundation of South Carolina, announced a partnership to abolish more than $4 million in medical debt in the region. This is possible through a donation to RIP Medical Debt.

RIP Medical Debt is a national nonprofit that buys medical debt in bulk at a steep discount, for pennies on the dollar, eliminating debt for people living four times or below the federal poverty level or with debts that are 5% or more of their annual income. The donation will abolish debt for those eligible in CCF’s nine county footprint: Beaufort, Berkeley, Charleston, Colleton, Dorchester, Georgetown, Hampton, Horry, and Jasper counties.

The idea for the partnership came from Geales Sands, Executive Director of the Frances P. Bunnelle Foundation, who was inspired after reading about a CCF donor who made a significant impact across the state by donating to RIP Medical Debt with his year-end giving.

“Medical debt can be devastating,” said CCF President and CEO Darrin Goss. “At CCF we are dedicated to creating more opportunities for economic mobility in our region. We are proud to come together with our affiliate organizations and relieve this financial burden for members of our community.” 

Thanks to the $33,717 donation from CCF and its affiliates, $3.14 million in medical debt will be erased in this first round of relief. As RIP Medical Debt acquires more debt in the area, additional debt relief will follow with the remaining donated funds. This will likely be an additional $1 million in face value medical debt relief.