Last year, the Clarendon Council on Aging (CCOA) was dangerously close to shutting down. “In fact, I think a lot of people pretty much thought it was already closed,” recalls Kiz Everette, “but I was determined not to close and not have a place for the seniors to be able to come.”
That’s when Everette got to work. With her established 501c non-profit, Vision by Design, Everette petitioned the Clarendon County Council to transition senior services from the CCOA to the non-profit.
“I’ve been here a year; I came in October of 2022. Then I started thinking ... okay, it was moving towards shutting down. Literally, it was like, couldn’t do anything else. There’s no money coming in, we lost [contracts]. Everything was being done either out of my pocket or trying to build partnerships ... So, I asked them, I petitioned the board ... and they agreed.”
Everette’s first proposal was in July of last year. It was then approved in September and finalized in December. Meanwhile, Everette and her team worked non-stop to strengthen the services the CCOA formerly provided while also establishing new programs. Vision by Design now offers a Sassy Seniors Sanctuary, Positive Produce Promotions, Meals on Wheels, a small business center, housing preservation, and the Clarendon County Food Bank.
The Sassy Senior Sanctuary is a safe space for seniors to gather. A crossover program from the former CCOA, it offers “food, fellowship, and fun.” In Manning, seniors gather at least twice a week for board games, bingo, or arts and crafts, followed by lunch. Vision by Design also sends small bags of groceries home with the participants after each gathering. Seniors in Summerton and Turbeville can take advantage of similar meetings at the Parks and Recreation Center and Town Hall respectively.
Another program that the CCOA provided was Meals on Wheels. This program has and will continue to run through Vision by Design. “We took over that program and got the contract for that program ... we’re providing meals, providing homebound seniors with nutritious meals delivered to their front door,” explains Everette.
An original program from Everette and Vision by Design is the Positive Produce Promotions. “I got certified as a distributor and a producer through the South Carolina agriculture department. That allows me to partner with farmers. They can give me free fruits and vegetables to distribute to the county.” To serve as much of the community as possible, Everette partners with other nonprofits and agencies. “As opposed to trying to do it all myself ... [we allow] them to do distributions. I get the product. I give it to them so that they can distribute.”
In December, the Just Because Resource Center held a drive-thru pick- up for the fresh produce and served 247 families. Similarly, Liberty Hill AME Church and K&H Resource Center gifted 150 bags of produce during a recent holiday luncheon for seniors.
The Small Business Center is a grant that Vision by Design received through the USDA Rural Development. The business center provides free technical assistance to small businesses in Clarendon County or those who are looking to start a business.
Everette describes the schedule, “[In December] the topic was small business accounting, and we had 18 people participate. [Now] we’ll be writing a business plan, which is a two-part series ... I’m looking to have that many more.” The second part of the business class is in February, followed by Securing Business Finances in March and advertising and web design courses in April and May.
Vision by Design also offers assistance to those experiencing food insecurity. The Clarendon County Food Bank is open Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. and on Fridays by appointment. Everette stresses that the food bank is “in dire need of supplies.” Everette desperately needs, along with the usual food donations, shelving for the storage room. She and her team need to be able to organize the supplies and cannot begin to do so without shelves. She is also looking for any residents or local businesses who can donate a van or truck and a trailer. The food bank accepts pantry items and perishable, refrigerated items.
Most recently, Vision by Design received a grant for housing preservation. This grant will assist low to moderate income homeowners with minor home repairs. These repairs would include wheelchair ramps, handicap railings throughout a home, mold treatment and removal, small roof repairs, etc. Everette will need to hire skilled labor for the repairs and is hoping to find a contractor with reasonable rates and “a heart for what this is.”
Vision by Design is always looking for volunteers as well. “You know, someone that would be willing to do an in-town meal delivery on Wednesday using their own vehicle. Someone that would be willing to come in and just kind of help stack and organize the food once we get the shelving ... if they want to come help in the kitchen and help serve the seniors.”
Everette is also in search of programmatic volunteers, such as someone to teach specific arts and crafts classes. “I try to encourage people that [have hobbies], hobbies that they have at home, please bring it and share it with me.”
Since phasing out the CCOA, Everette can’t emphasize enough the need for funding, donations, and volunteers. Her enthusiasm for Vision by Design’s progress is contagious as she explains how far they’ve come since almost having to shutter the CCOA building. Her goal is not only to help people in their times of need, but to also empower them to help themselves. “I don’t want people to be dependent on the system. It’s like, okay, let’s look at why you’re in this situation. What can we do? Or what can I do to help you eliminate this and move on to be in a better place ... sometimes people just don’t know the next step. So, I try to help.”
If you’d like to volunteer at Visions by Design, donate to the food bank, or lead a class, you can contact Kiz Everette and her team at (803) 435-8593. Their offices are located in the old CCOA building at 206 S. Church St., Manning.
