Month: May 2023

Aflac has donated $10,000 to support Greg’s Groceries, the signature initiative of Serve & Connect’s Compassionate Acts Program, which provides thousands of boxes of non-perishable food to individuals and families in need.

Greg’s Groceries is the inaugural and signature program of Serve & Connect’s Compassionate Acts Program (CAP) which focuses on providing resources to local law enforcement that may not otherwise be available. Greg’s Groceries is our flagship CAP initiative which provides boxes of nonperishable food for local law enforcement to deliver to individuals or families experiencing hunger or food insecurity. Each box contains enough food to feed a family of four for a week and special to this program every box of food handed out is packed with love by local police officers at a Greg’s Groceries packing event.

The donation provided by Aflac will make it possible for Serve & Connect to increase our support to law enforcement across South Carolina. It makes it possible to distribute 2,000 boxes of Greg’s Groceries to at least 50 agencies statewide.

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ABOUT AFLAC

Aflac believes we have a responsibility to give back to the communities where our corporate offices are located and the majority of our employees live and work. Thanks to our corporate Community Giving Program we strive to make charitable contributions in ways that make a positive impact in Columbia, SC.

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ABOUT GREG’S GROCERIES

Since launching in 2017, more than 200,000 meals have been delivered by over 60 police agencies to food-insecure individuals and families in over 70% of South Carolina counties. Greg’s Groceries is the only multi-agency, statewide initiative of its kind in America. For a complete list of participating departments, see www.serveandconnect.org/gregs-groceries.

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ABOUT SERVE & CONNECT

Serve & Connect is a South Carolina-based nonprofit that works directly with law enforcement, community stakeholders, and citizen leaders to create police and community partnerships that bring about positive change and promotes safe, happy, and resilient communities. For more information, visit serveandconnect.org.

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Serve & Connect is always honored to watch our employees participate in professional development programs that help them grow their careers and capacity to bring their talent to Serve & Connect, the community, and the spaces we serve. Personal and professional growth is a lifelong journey and we are committed to helping our staff achieve every goal they want to reach! We are excited to announce that Macey Silano MSW, our Mental Health Program Manager, recently attended the Koch Associate Program (KAP) with the Stand Together Foundation. Over the course of nine months, she attended online and in-person activities, dedicating incredible effort and time to this incredible opportunity.

The Koch Associate Program (KAP) is a career accelerator for early to mid-career professionals who exhibit a drive to tackle our country’s most pressing challenges in more effective, principled ways. KAP equips these trained associates with the tools, mindsets, and professional community to succeed as social entrepreneurs. KAP creates a framework for individuals excited to find new and better ways to break barriers and eliminate injustice.

KAP participants focused on three pillars to help learners supercharge their careers:

• Self-Actualization

• Principle-Based Management and

• Principles of Progress

“Through the KAP process, I learned so much about myself. KAP drove me to commit my designated time to discovering, developing, and applying my unique gifts to the job I love. When I think about my passion in advocating for mental health: trying to solve any problem that I encounter, I see now it is easier when a person understands it or is close to it, this is where the true innovation starts and change begins to happen. I look forward to utilizing the skills and knowledge obtained through the KAP program in enhancing the work we do here at Serve & Connect. With the tools KAP has taught me I look forward to finding innovative ways to address mental health concerns and needs within our community.”
– Macey Silano, Serve & Connect Mental Health Program Manager

Congratulations Macey! Serve & Connect is incredibly excited to watch the success of KAP learning in your career. Serve & Connect is honored to be the vehicle that you work for as you tackle challenges and provide impact addressing mental health concerns and connections while providing safety and healing for the community!

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For more information on the KAP Program please visit their site: https://standtogetherfellowships.org/koch-associate-program/