This is indeed a special day for us as we celebrate NOC’s 10-year anniversary.
There is much to be proud of because we are making a difference in the lives of many children and families. We are creating opportunities for people in need to get ahead in life and to enjoy happiness and a better quality of life. We are able to do this because of NOC’s unique development approach and business model. NOC maintains a strong presence in the neighborhoods it serves and connects with people by building trusts and relationships with people who live there.
NOC brings capital, targeted services, technology, and other service providers into an underserved neighborhood. NOC’s core programs of education, health care, and workforce and community development are the key drivers in promoting change and development in the neighborhood. Ten years ago, we started with 5 children as a grassroots organization with a shoestring budget; today we serve more than 650 children through NOC’s 6 learning centers covering all of Beaufort County. Nearly 200 people benefit from NOC’s heath screening program annually, and many people benefit from NOC’s workforce development, community events, and enrichment programs. These results are achieved with a budget of less than $500,000 annually and focusing on an efficient delivery of services to the target population.
All this has been made possible through the generous donations of many individuals, foundations, and governmental agencies, plus the support that we have received from local churches, civic organizations, businesses, and other service providers.
Today, we are poised to expand NOC’s programs in Beaufort County and replicate the NOC model outside Beaufort County, statewide and nationally. We have trademarked NOC’s business model and logo, and we have developed blueprints to replicate the model. We want NOC to flourish beyond Beaufort Coounty as a grassroots organization in low-income neighborhoods managed and funded by local people and entities without central control and high overhead costs.
This past 10 years has been a long journey … tough but rewarding and gratifying. I have worked extremely hard but received helped from many individuals and good Samaritans. From this standpoint, I have been lucky and blessed.
In another 10 years, I will be 85 years old … a reality that I cannot control. In the next 10 years, I hope that NOC will help more children and families in need … that NOC’s brand and outreach will continue to flourish in other areas throughout the country. In keeping with my succession plan, I plan to step down from my current position in 2021, and pass the baton to others to lead the organization to the next frontier. Given a shared passion to help others, I am sure we can promote NOC in other areas beyond Beaufort County. Together, we can make a difference in the lives of those who are in need to get ahead in life.
Thank you.
Narendra P. Sharma, PhD, Founder & Chair
Neighborhood Outreach Connection, NOC
September 13, 2019
Colleton River Plantation Club, Bluffton, SC
