Month: June 2022

We are proud and honored to partner with the Stand Together Foundation, and were excited to recently be featured on their blog. Check it out below to learn more about our movement. While you are there, learn more about the amazing things Stand Together is doing to drive change from the bottom-up.

• Serve & Connect feature on Stand Together Foundation’s Blog

Did you also know that our CEO and Founder Kassy recently presented as part of The Stands in Austin, TX? Watch below! Thank you again to Stand Together Foundation for amplifying our message that Together, We Are Better.

We are so thrilled to announce this summer’s Be Safe Block Party Series! The series is hosted as part of our Compass work through the North Columbia Youth Empowerment Initiative (NCYEI).

All summer long, the NCYEI is partnering with the City of Columbia, the Columbia Police Department, City of Columbia Parks & Recreation Department, and Richland County Sheriff’s Department to host its upcoming Be Safe Summer Series to host several block parties across the Columbia area from June to August. Event dates and locations are as follows:

• June 16- TS Martin,  2700 Edison St, Columbia, SC 29204

• June 30- Belmont Community, 1003 Colleton St, Columbia, SC 29203

• July 14- Pinehurst Park, 2300 Pinehurst Rd, Columbia, SC 29204

• July 21- Hyatt Park, 950 Jackson Ave, Columbia, SC 29203

• August 11- Katheryn M. Bellfield Cultural Arts Center – Grand Finale – 2611 Grant St, Columbia, SC 29203

The NCYEI-sponsored events are free and open to the public, with evening festivities held between four and six p.m. Guests are invited to come out and join fellow community members and local law enforcement in celebration of unity and their neighborhood through music, games and complimentary hot dogs and chips.

“Every opportunity we have to strengthen our bonds is one that calls for celebration,” shares Omari Fox, lead community organizer of Serve & Connect. “The Be Safe Summer Series is one way of bringing life to our North Columbia communities to inspire conversation, establish camaraderie and create shared memories that will unite our neighborhoods.”

As an extension of Serve & Connect, the NCYEI serves to continue our mission of collaboration and connectedness among groups already making a difference in the lives of North Columbia’s neighborhood children. The NCYEI was established in collaboration with the Columbia Police Department, Richland County Sheriff’s Department, Serve & Connect and community leaders to foster police and community partnerships that empower the lives of neighborhood children and youth in the 29203-region. The initiative is funded by a Byrnes Criminal Justice Innovation grant from the Department of Justice.

 

We are excited to announce that Kim Dennis has joined the Serve & Connect team as our new Operations Manager.

Kim joins us with over 14 years of administrative managerial experience and human resources experience. She previously worked as the Manager of Administration for the Foundation Partners Group where she oversaw a wide range of activities related to accounting, administration, and operations. Kim brings her commitment to building strong, compassionate relationships with families, customers, partners, and staff with her to Serve & Connect.

The mission of Serve & Connect is personal to Kim – she is a member of a law enforcement family. Her husband, Courtney, retired from over 20 years in law enforcement in August of 2021 where he most recently served as the Chief of Police for the Town of Irmo. Additionally, Kim has volunteered with Serve & Connect since 2016, participating in events and outreach initiatives since the early days of the organization.

“We are so thrilled to have Kim join our team as our Operations Manager,” shared Serve & Connect Founder and CEO Kassy Alia Ray. “Kim’s background coupled with her passion for our mission make her an ideal fit for this position. She has already hit the ground running. I am so excited to see how we grow with her in this leadership role.”