Who is The Village Group?
- A 17-year strong 501c3 nonprofit honored by South Carolina’s Secretary of State for spending only 1.1% of its income on administration, compared to the national average of 10%-20% spent by nonprofits on administration.
- Community leaders, parents, elders, and concerned citizens strive to equip youth to build a sustainable community by focusing on college and career readiness, cultural education, and economic development.
- What sets the Village Group apart is the extensive, interconnected approach to community improvement. We tackle educational gaps, shape strong personal visions and deliver food justice to support stronger families, building a better future for our youth.
- The Village Group students gain an average of 2 months in math and reading, successfully combatting the “Summer Slide”* each year as part of the Plantersville Summer Academy. All 100% of students surveyed responded that they “enjoyed the program” and 98% agreed with the following statement “I believe I can get better at things by working hard”. Results reflect academic and social-emotional gains.
- TVG programs and offerings include the afterschool Plantersville Enrichment Academy and the Plantersville Summer Academy supported by the evidence-based, BellXcel curriculum, Literacy Is for Everyone (LIFE), and the Culturally Sustaining STEM Institute. Other health and art-focused enrichment programs include the Village Flyers Bike Club, the annual Tour de Plantersville Bike Excursion, and Our Village Media Club.
- Plantersville is a food desert, with limited access to non-processed foods. Our newest initiative, Dirt to Dinner, utilizes 10 acres of newly acquired land where a farm, kitchen, nature trails, biking paths, and exhibit and demonstration spaces will be built.
- TVG also supports parents and the community through family and cultural events hosted by the Plantersville Cultural Center.
- The Village Group seeks to help youth to understand and develop a lifelong love of learning through its core values of harmony, habitat, health, and history.
- The Summer Slide is a decline in reading ability and other academic skills that can occur over the summer months when school isn’t in session. Children from low-income families lose up to 40% of the gains they have made over the school year while on summer break, while families of more advantaged youth expand the youths’ horizons with educational and social experiences during the summer.
