Project Hope celebrates its 40th anniversary

Few economic enterprises are successful and profitable enough to stay in business for 40 years. Yet Rock Hill’s Project Hope, whose function is to give things away to needy people, has managed to thrive for four decades.

Those involved in Project Hope celebrated that longevity last week with a special “Hope Raising Breakfast” at the First Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church. Appropriately, it was free and open to the public.

The breakfast kicked off a “Day of Hope” to mark the 40th anniversary of this vital charitable coalition. The event served as an occasion to introduce a new fundraising effort – the first of its kind undertaken by Project Hope.

The concept, called One-Can Can Drive, is simple. Businesses will put out cans to collect money. Donors will have their names displayed on a “Hope-Raiser” card inside the business.

The money raised will help sustain a mission organized in 1975 when volunteers from 15 local church congregations joined to start Project Hope. The ministry, which serves residents in Rock Hill and within the school district, operates four days a week out of a house at 411 Park Ave., where it provides food assistance, medicine and help paying utility bills.

Officials say Project Hope serves as a first responder when residents face a financial crisis and have nowhere else to turn. Sheila Neisler, marketer for the charity, said an unexpected $500 expense can devastate a majority of families in the community, and many couldn’t get by without the help of an organization such as Project Hope.

This turns out to be an enormous undertaking. Project Hope distributes 120 tons of food a year – enough to provide 188,000 meals. Sixty volunteers work around 10,000 hours a year at the house.

Project Hope served about 4,000 families last year, and at least that many appear likely to request assistance before the end of this year. About a quarter of those served this year are asking for help for the first time.

Sadly, there will continue to be first-timers year in and year out. When so many people live as close to the financial precipice, that is inevitable.

Project Hope’s fundraising traditionally has been low key, hardly more than word of mouth. The One-Can Can Drive is a bit of an uptick in soliciting public donations, but still a low-key approach.

As always, Project Hope places its hopes on the generosity of the community and the understanding of residents that even a few dollars can go a long way toward helping the needy get through a rough patch. Just one dollar, for example, is enough to pay for six pounds of food.

We hope people will respond to this humble request. They can make donations with the assurance that the money will be carefully spent by a time-tested agency that has served the community through good times and bad.

Donors also can be assured that the services provided by Project Hope go directly to the neediest among us. And in doing that, Project Hope elevates the entire community.

Next time you’re in a business with a Project Hope can, please drop some money in it, get your name on the list and walk out knowing that you have helped one of the most venerable charitable organizations in town.

This story was originally published November 21, 2015 at 9:00 AM with the headline "Project Hope celebrates its 40th anniversary."