United Way of the Midlands is pleased to announce a 2025–2026 Impact Grant award of $31,745 to Brookland Center for Community Economic Change, doing business as Brookland-Lakeview Empowerment Center (BLEC). This investment was made through United Way of the Midlands in partnership with the Women in Philanthropy (WIP) organization, whose purpose is to award grants that fund high-impact programs and projects, resulting in significant, positive change in the lives of women and children in Aiken, Burke, Columbia, Edgefield, McDuffie, and Richmond Counties.

The mission of WIP—an organization formed through a partnership between United Way of the Central Savannah River Area and The Community Foundation for the Central Savannah River Area—is to create awareness of the needs of women and children across the Central Savannah River Area of Georgia and South Carolina, while strategically investing in solutions that strengthen families and communities.

The grant will support BLEC’s workforce development initiative, which provides scholarships for students enrolled in the Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) program. In addition to tuition assistance, the funding helps remove barriers to success by providing childcare and transportation for participating students. Graduates of the program also receive career placement support, with several alumni securing employment at leading healthcare providers including National Healthcare, Lexington Medical Center, and Prisma Health.

United Way of the Midlands serves Calhoun, Fairfield, Lexington, Newberry, Richland, and Orangeburg Counties, addressing critical health and human services needs throughout the region. With a mission to unite people and resources to improve quality of life, United Way strengthens the community safety net, fosters nonprofit collaboration, and creates pathways to resiliency.

United Way of the Midlands and Women in Philanthropy are proud to support Brookland Center for Community Economic Change and its commitment to empowering individuals through education, workforce readiness, and economic empowerment.

For more information about the BLEC’s workforce development initiative, please contact Dr. Cindye Richburg Cotton, Executive Director, at 803-744-7943 or via email at [email protected].