Community

2023 STEWARDSHIP & SUSTAINABILITY REPORT

For decades, AgFirst has been a strong community partner in the Midlands, while also providing support to organizations that benefit from our ongoing commitment to the Farm Credit mission. We strive to make the agricultural and local communities stronger by investing our resources and time in organizations that make a difference in society. Below is a sampling of how we contribute:

Corporate Giving

Community Partnerships

AgFirst has a strong commitment to the United Way of the Midlands, which provides resources and large-scale solutions to pervasive community problems. We support this important community assistance organization through an annual employee giving campaign, an annual corporate donation, volunteer efforts, and board and committee involvement. Because of our commitment, we were the proud recipient of the organization’s 2022-2023 Spirit of the Midlands Award for Corporate Leadership for our contributions of time, leadership and resources in support of United Way’s work in priority issues of financial stability, health access and education.

In a testament to the bank’s commitment to addressing community needs through volunteer service and financial contributions, AgFirst received the 2024 Bates-Jones Equity and Philanthropy award from the Greater Columbia Community Relations Council.

AgFirst is proud to partner with additional community organizations through an annual donation, including:

Columbia Museum of Art, which connects all Midlands residents through local and international art.
South Carolina State Museum, an organization that provides an educational environment to enrich the lives of area residents.
Historic Columbia, which serves to preserve and promote Columbia and Richland County’s historical and cultural legacy.

Community Events

AgFirst is proud to participate in and offer support for a range of community events. Annually, we sponsor:

The American Heart Association Midlands Heart Walk, which funds scientific research to support those fighting cardiovascular disease.
Prisma Health Walk for Life, supporting the fight against breast cancer.
March of Dimes “March for Babies”, which fights for the health of moms and babies through public education and research support while also supporting families.
Columbia Greek Festival, which brings together the Columbia community.

Youth, Mentoring and Education

We believe that investing in our youth is the best way to build a brighter future. AgFirst is involved with several organizations that aim to give young people the skills they need for success, including:

Columbia Urban League. AgFirst annually sponsors an Equal Opportunity Day Dinner for this organization, which provides economic empowerment and educational opportunities to those in need.
Girl Scouts of South Carolina – Mountains to Midlands. Through an annual donation, the bank helps this group accomplish their mission of providing skill-building programming, caring mentors and female role models for girls in the Midlands. Recently, AgFirst was honored to receive the 2023 Community Partner Award from the organization.
Boys & Girls Club of the Crescent Region. AgFirst gives an annual donation that helps this group provide before- and after-school care for working families, including enriching programs and activities.

Financial Stability, Housing and Hunger

Hunger and housing are two of the most critical needs for those in crisis. Addressing those issues often leads to financial stability. AgFirst is proud to help the following organizations find solutions for these societal issues:

Transitions. To fight homelessness in the Midlands, for years AgFirst has generously supported the Transitions Homeless Center in Columbia, helping the organization provide for the many needs of its clients – from temporary shelter and daily meals to securing permanent housing and increasing job prospects. In addition to an annual corporate donation, you will find AgFirst employees serving on the board and serving in the lunch line.
Oliver Gospel Mission. AgFirst gives an annual donation to this homeless shelter, which also provides addiction recovery and job training.
Harvest Hope Food Bank. Through an annual donation and volunteering, AgFirst helps this organization feed the hungry and address food insecurity.
FoodShare. AgFirst supports this group with an annual donation, helping them provide discounted local produce boxes to address food insecurity. AgFirst employees also routinely volunteer to pack fresh food boxes in support of FoodShare’s mission.
Home Works. Through an annual donation and an annual work day, AgFirst helps this organization provide home repair services to low-income homeowners.

Inclusivity in Agriculture

Student Scholarships

As an extension of our mission, we continue to grant scholarships and other opportunities for deserving students through our partnership with organizations such as:

Regional Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). AgFirst provides an annual donation for scholarships, professional development opportunities and resources to help students reach their full potential
South Carolina Governor’s School for Agriculture. Through an annual donation, AgFirst enhances agricultural learning opportunities for students including funding for scholarships, travel opportunities and the construction of a new greenhouse.
Association of 1890 Research Directors. AgFirst sponsors the biannual research symposium of this coalition of land-grant universities focused on initiatives affecting the food and agricultural needs of the nation.

Financial Contributions

AgFirst is also proud to support organizations that help underserved communities advance in their agricultural pursuits, including:

National Black Growers Council (NBGC), whose mission is to improve efficiency, productivity and sustainability for Black farmers.
Center for Heirs’ Property Preservation, which helps families protect and keep family land by offering education services, land management advice and assistance navigating the process of land ownership.
Blue Ridge Women in Ag, an organization that connects food producers with communities in seven North Carolina counties and strives to ensure equitable access to high-quality local food.
Project Victory Gardens, an organization that offers an immersive teaching program for beginning veteran farmers.

Disaster Relief

Through an annual Red Cross donation and blood drive, we help emergency volunteers prepare to bring relief to those in crisis. When disaster strikes – in the form of a pandemic, weather event or other emergency – AgFirst mobilizes to provide funding to help communities recover, often partnering with other Farm Credit organizations to maximize donations.

Employee Impact

Our employees are passionate about serving our community to make it a better place, from volunteering to pack food boxes and repair homes to serving on boards and committees that provide direction for making the most of resources.

Employees donate to local charities in exchange for the opportunity to wear jeans to work one day a week through AgFirst’s jeans day program. During the holidays, they provide socks to clients at Transitions Homeless Center, gift presents to residents in Lexington Medical Center’s long-term care facilities and assemble gift bags for families in need with the Salvation Army Christmas Warehouse.

Each year, AgFirst donates to nonprofit organizations our employees support. These donations improve education, community development, and health and human services. Just some in a long list of organizations we support in honor of our employees’ passionate commitment include Pathways to Healing, which provides resources and support for survivors of sexual assault and abuse; Power in Changing Diaper Bank, which distributes diapers and baby products to families experiencing financial hardship; and YMCA of Columbia, which focuses on youth development, healthy living and social responsibility.

AgFirst is proud to support organizations making a difference. Donating to uplift and empower various communities will always be a part of who we are.