NOC’s Business Model: Highly Relevant for Empowering People

As it embarks on its next five years, Neighborhood Outreach Connection (NOC) is proud of its accomplishments and development approach to help people in need in local low-income neighborhoods. NOC intends to build on this strong foundation to fight poverty and empower people to improve their quality of life. People who are empowered will achieve independence, self-reliance, and dignity, also they will contribute to the local economy.

The mission of the Neighborhood Outreach Connection (NOC) is to fight poverty by helping those in need achieve the “American Dream.” NOC’s mission, which places emphasis on the individual, the family, and the community, remains powerful and highly relevant today and together with its business model, it positions NOC strategically to combat two formidable challenges faced locally:

• Poverty is a serious concern in a number of neighborhoods in Beaufort County (affecting more than 14% of the county’s population, especially children and women).
• A significant proportion (35% to 40%) of the new majority in public schools (nearly 11,000 African American and Hispanic students) needs help in order to meet school standards, remain in school, and graduate on time with the right skills and knowledge; most of these students live in low-income neighborhoods.

NOC is generating positive results and will continue to make a significant difference in the lives of many people, especially the children.

• NOC focuses on creating opportunities within distressed neighborhoods on Hilton Head Island and in Greater Bluffton by connecting resources, services, and technology to the people who need them most.
• NOC’s takes assistance directly into these neighborhoods and its strong presence in these neighborhoods allows it to build trust and strong relationships with the people living there.
• NOC’s flagship education program includes pre-school classes and an after-school tutoring program that bring teachers and volunteers into “learning centers” to provide homework help during the school year, as well as a Virtual Summer Learning Program during the summer. Currently more 200 children are enrolled in this program. NOC’s pre-school program, serving more than 40 children, focuses on school readiness.
• NOC is placing special attention on bringing modern technology into the neighborhood – with support from the VanLandingham Rotary Club – to encourage continuous learning among children and adults.
• NOC provides health screenings for hypertension, diabetes, breast cancer, prostate cancer, vision and hearing, and HIV/AIDS, as well as workshops relating to pre-natal care and dental hygiene, reaching more than 1200 people.
• NOC has integrity in the way it conducts business and manages its finances, and it has partnerships with the Beaufort County School District and local schools, Beaufort County Library, Beaufort Memorial Hospital, local churches, and other organizations such as the Rotary Clubs, Lions Club, and Kiwanis.

For more information, visit NOC on Facebook.