The Forward Foundation is proud to award The Pay It Forward Grant to Fort Mill Care Center on behalf of Black American Engineering Scholarship Award mentor Jacques Smith.
Pay It Forward Grant: Fort Mill Care Center
Smith donates his time and talent as a mentor to The Forward Foundation’s Black American Engineering Scholarship Award.. This initiative not only provides scholarships to students but also pairs them with professional mentors who guide and support them throughout their rigorous academic journeys. Smith’s generous support has allowed the BAESA to diversify and revolutionize the engineering field for the past three years.
As a thank you to program mentors, the Forward Foundation created the Pay It Forward Mentorship Grant . Mentors can direct this $2,500 grant to public charities or educational institutions of their choosing.
Smith directed $250 to Fort Mill Care Center, a volunteer-run nonprofit based in Fort Mill and Tega Cay, South Carolina. The organization strives to improve the quality of life in these communities by providing food, utilities, and prescriptions to residents.
The Care Center began in 1987 in response to local families’ need for basic necessities like food, personal hygiene products, household cleaning supplies, and emergency medical services. Founded by the Fort Mill Ministerial Association, the Care Center guides families as they navigate life’s challenges and connects them to essential resources.
Smith has also directed $1,250 to the Tri County HBCU Alliance, which supports South Carolina teens looking to attend Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), and $1,000 to Tuskegee University’s Aerospace Science Engineering Department.
