Last weekend, the Town of Hollywood broke ground on their new Town Hall. This space will soon host city government, a public library and green space, and eventually athletic facilities. South Carolina Community Loan Fund saw this project as an opportunity to continue our investment in rural communities, and financed $1.8 million of the project cost ( read more about the loan on our blog).

SCCLF CEO Michelle Mapp spoke at the groundbreaking about the town hall's importance to Hollywood, saying, "Our seed is capital, and the fruit is community assets and ownership. The dividends paid to the community are immeasurable."

Hollywood Mayor Jacqueline Heyward noted at the ceremony that getting to this point hasn't always been easy. "We've had to struggle for what we want, but we never give up," she said. "This is truly an epic moment in our town's history." Mayor Heyward noted the project should be complete in late spring of 2018 and said she looked forward to welcoming the town's citizens into the new facility.

Joining our borrowers for momentous occasions like the Hollywood Town Hall groundbreaking offers us an opportunity to reflect and give thanks for the many people and organizations bringing community-led development projects to fruition. During this week of Thanksgiving, we are filled with gratitude for the borrowers who trust us to participate in their vision of community development, the investors and donors who make financing these projects possible, and the partners who work together with us to build stronger, more equitable communities. This week and all year, we thank you for investing in community.