GREENVILLE, S.C.— Michelin North America Inc., through its Charity Golf Tournament, raised a record $1 million recently to support the work of charities in communities Michelin and its employees call home — Fort Wayne, Ind.; Louisville, Ky.; Emporia, Kan.; Tuscaloosa, Ala.; and upstate South Carolina.
"We are humbled by the engagement and enthusiasm of all those who enable us to give back to the communities where we live and work," Will Whitley, Michelin North America's director of state, local government affairs and community relations, said.
The charity event was held Oct. 1-3 at five golf courses in the Greenville area. Since its inception in 1989, the Michelin Charity Golf Tournament has raised more than $9 million.
Here's a look at the 10 charities benefiting from the funds raised at this year's golf tournament.
• Center for Developmental Services (CDS)
Located Greenville, S.C., CDS makes caring for children with delays and disabilities easier and more effective by linking medical and support services in a single location. Their integrated service model streamlines service delivery to about 8,000 families each year.
• Conestee Nature Preserve
Consisting of more than 600 acres, the state-designated wildlife sanctuary located five miles south of downtown Greenville. It is an accessible oasis of natural beauty and a hub for outdoor environmental education, within the most developed section of Greenville County.
CNP includes more than 13 miles of trails and boardwalks, 11 wildlife observation decks and 40 self-guided learning stations.
• Habitat for Humanity Anderson County
The pathway to homeownership begins with affordable housing and Habitat for Humanity in Anderson, S.C., is working to ensure a more welcoming path for everyone. Through sweat-equity, education and interest-free mortgages, Habitat homes change lives by building financial stability, improving health and safety, and providing a strong, stable foundation for educational and career success.
An initiative of Ten at the Top, the Upstate Mobility Alliance advances policy and investment opportunities that make it easier to move freely throughout the region, which includes the Greenville area where the organization is located.
Whether it's supporting efforts to expand public transportation, make daily commutes easier, or connect communities in innovative ways. UMA works across the sector to help make the Upstate of South Carolina a more connected region.
• Upstate Warrior Solution Inc.
The Greenville-based organization is dedicated to serving veterans, current military members and first responders as well as their families. The organization provides holistic services to about 1,200 annually, supporting a range of needs including but not limited to unemployment, homelessness and suicide.
• SOS Inc.
SOS Inc. provides advocacy and support for those affected by sexual and domestic violence, stalking, human trafficking, child abuse and neglect throughout a five-county area.
The organization provides shelter and a wide range of resources for victims and survivors, as well as educational programming for school and community organizations. SOS Inc. is also the home of CASA of the Flint Hills, the Child Advocacy Center, and the Child Visitation and Exchange Center.
• Hope's Harbor: Family Hospitality Homes
The Fort Wayne-area organization supports children receiving medical care by providing critical hospitality services—like housing meals and community—to their families. A home-away-from-home for families of children in area hospitals, Hope's Harbor provides rest, refuge and rejuvenation.
Empowering self-sufficiency starts with the right connections, and St. Joseph Missions in Fort Wayne helps to make them. The organization provides emergency shelter for single women from the homeless community in an environment that respects their dignity as human persons, affords them the opportunity to live individually and collectively with others in a safe environment of self-government, and empowers them to network with local business contacts and social services for employment and other needs.
The Louisville-based organization's mission is to end the cycle of poverty and transform the community by empowering families and youth to succeed in education and achieve life-long self-sufficiency.
The Tuscaloosa SAFE Center serves victims of sexual violence in the nine-county West Alabama Region. The organization is a community-based, collaborative agency designed to meet the emotional, medical and forensic needs of sexual assault survivors by providing quality medical care, forensic examinations, follow-up, advocacy, education and outreach, counseling, and support group services.