Image by Images Provided by Coastal Community Foundation

The Coastal Community Foundation has a new home and is hosting a public grand opening celebration of their new "Coastal Community Foundation Center" at 635 Rutledge Ave. Suite 201 on Friday, February 11, from 5 to 8 p.m.

Located in the old Jabber's Grocery Store location, property owner Frank Hagood has transformed the space into a multiple tenant facility that also provides new locations for other businesses and nonprofits such as History Press, DanceFx, EquiScript, and others.

The Coastal Community Foundation is a local nonprofit organization dedicated to nurturing philanthropy and other nonprofits through grants, initiatives, and other works in order to further strengthen the local community.

The Costal Community Foundation's Christine Beddia shares their appreciation to Hagood, saying, "He was so supportive and generous in how he was been working with us to transform this space into something that would be efficient for our use.  He has also given us a great marketing and branding opportunity to name the space 'The Coastal Community Foundation Center' to help inform local residents that pass by the places all the time and don't know the good work that is happening inside."

Beddia also explains that the foundation needed "More space, and more room to grow.  It is also important for us to be ADA compliant.  We were on the second floor of a building Downtown that had no elevator, and being ADA compliant was a huge factor for us in our decision."

The ever present lack of parking situation downtown also provided obstacles for the CCF and it's volunteers in the old location on Mary Street. An organization that depends on community volunteers needed to have more adequate parking to provide easier access for those volunteering their time.  

The CCF is also coinciding their grand opening of their new center alongside their annual celebration of their Griffth/Reyburn Lowcountry Artist of the Year Award, with this year's recipient being local Charleston artist Elizabeth McKeever, who received a $5,000 grant.  Applicants for the award must live in Charleston, with the Lowcountry being a central focus in the work.

McKeever is the 7th award winner of the annual grant. The winner is asked to use their grant to create a signature piece, and the artist is allowed to sell, donate, or keep their creation.  McKeever has chosen to donate her work to the Coastal Community Foundation.  While the Foundation's new center is not large enough to display McKeever's 6 x 5 foot sized, multi-panel installation, the Foundation is avidly searching for a large, high-traffic space to display McKeever's piece for the public to enjoy, such as a school or library.

The opening reception is free and open to the public, and McKeever's work will be displayed throughout the center.  More information can be found on the Coastal Community Foundation's website, or by calling the Foundation at (843)-723-3635.