The One Orangeburg County Initiative and The 1,000

Grass-roots initiative hoping to attract new industry and jobs to Orangeburg County receives commitment of $100,000

The One Orangeburg County Initiative (TOOCI) is a newly developed collaborative effort supported by the Orangeburg County Development Commission. The purpose of TOOCI is to bring together Orangeburg County’s leaders in the public, private, and educational sectors in order to work toward a common goal of making the county an even better place to live, work, and play.

TOOCI includes business executives and owners, representatives from local colleges and universities, elected officials, K-12 education administrators, higher education officials, health care representatives, law enforcement, public entity partners, and other organizations including both the Chamber of Commerce and Downtown Orangeburg Revitalization Association. TOOCI is made of four Task Forces: Gateway Enhancements, K-16 Education, Commercial, Housing, & Retail, Marketing & Communications and includes an Executive Committee.

TOOCI has recently been granted a legislative delegation commitment of $100,000 from State Senator John W. Matthews. These funds are to be utilized with the Orangeburg County Partnership in order to leverage private sector donations to accomplish the identified goals of TOOCI. While this is the first grant for TOOCI, many members of Orangeburg’s leadership have assisted with basic funding of the initiative by making donations, all which are tax deductible. The initial seed money of $50,000 will help form the initiative’s framework, providing a budget for each task force to work independently. The total commitment of $100,000 dollars is for operational funding over the next 12-18 months in two installments.

While the initiative aims to help improve the quality of life in Orangeburg, it will not be possible without “The 1,000”. The 1,000 is a grass-roots initiative to get people in the community involved and keep them informed about what is going on in Orangeburg County. It includes young professionals and college students, investors, property owners, county stakeholders, and individuals who inspire others by their vision, passion, and concern for their community.

“Ideally this initiative will serve as a beacon for other counties in South Carolina to follow. I am excited about the possibilities, and I look forward to seeing how TOOCI will not only impact Orangeburg County, but the state of South Carolina as well.” -Senator John W. Matthews Jr., Orangeburg County State Legislation Delegation Chairman

“The One Orangeburg County Initiative is an opportunity for the major stakeholders to come together. Often we are all focused on economic development in different directions. This initiative allows us to shoot with laser precision at opportunities to change for the better.” -Johnnie Wright, Sr., Orangeburg County Council Chairman

“The City of Orangeburg appreciates the delegation for granting this allotment of $100,00 to any kind of project that will make One Orangeburg come to fruition.” -Mayor Michael Butler, Orangeburg County

“The Orangeburg County Partnership is excited to be part of the One Orangeburg County Initiative. Economic development is all about “Partnerships” and we must work together to better the community holistically. We truly appreciate the commitment from Senator Matthews and the Legislative Delegation.” – Robert Jennings IV, Orangeburg County Partnership Chairman

“The relationship between TOOCI and The 1,000 is similar to that of a body, with TOOCI being the head and The 1,000 being the rest of the body. All parts work together for the common purpose of bringing life to Orangeburg County,” -Ken Middleton, Orangeburg County Development Commission Chairman