This is the third newsletter for MICAH Program, Inc. Great things are happening at MICAH in June 2024.
The MICAH Program, Inc. website is up and running, www.micahprogram.org, and we have a social media presence. Please check us out on Facebook and Instagram and follow us.
MICAH celebrated four years of service with a dinner meeting in the social hall at St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church at 307 Gower Street. We thanked and recognized the following volunteer mentors from 2020 to 2024.
- Julia Mullen
- Johnny Payne
- Gwen Whitner
- Pete Mansfield
- Ralston Moore
- Brian Hersey
- Laurie Rappl
- John Laliberte
- Connie Williamson
- Mike Holian
- Tom Losier
- Kurt Hurwald
- Erena Allen
- Emilie Cantrell
- Lucinda Quick
- Pat Avery
- Vicktor Hanuska
- Bob Linn
- Jim Stavrakas
- Paul Rindone
At the June 6 dinner, board chairman and CEO David Quast described the extent of financial distress in South Carolina. Of 2 million households, 17% have income below the poverty threshold. For another 29%, however, the income level is low, such that they have been described as Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed (ALICE) households. MICAH exists to help people in a time financial distress with financial mentoring and a low-cost loan that is to be paid back. In four years, MICAH has met with 76 neighbors in distress and facilitated 31 loans totaling $55,192. Of these, 11 have been repaid fully and 6 have been repaid only partially, with $4916 written off. The default rate of 9.1% is less than the 15% that was anticipate at the outset. The reserve fund begun in 2020 remains around $29,000 and is able to support the current outstanding loan balances.
At the June 6 dinner, MICAH updated the Bridge to Wheels (B2W) pilot program with Miracle Hill Ministries. B2W allows Miracle Hill guests to put 20% down to purchase a $5000 used car and receive a low-cost loan to paid back over 24 to 30 months. Six car loans totaling $19,370 have been facilitated by MICAH through Miracle Hill Auto Sales and Self-Help Credit Union. Two of the B2W neighbors spoke to the group and described the dramatic benefits of obtaining their own basic transportation.
Going forward, the MICAH Program plans to work with its partners to grow the Bridge to Wheels program, seek donations for the reserve fund to allow more loans, train more mentors and continue to meet with neighbors in financial difficulty. MICAH is a 501(c)(3) charity such that donations are tax deductible. Donations can be made on the website for mailed to MICAH Program, Inc. at 307 Gower Street, Greenville, SC 29611. The MICAH board and volunteers thank God for the program’s success over these four years and look forward to continuing this ministry.
