Giving back to the larger communities we call home is an integral part of Cliffs Living, and we are proud to share that together Cliffs Residents Outreach, Walnut Cove Members Association and other charitable initiatives on behalf of The Cliffs and our members raised nearly $1 million in 2017.
In 2007, residents of The Cliffs’ six South Carolina communities came together to form Cliffs Residents Outreach, or CRO, a 501(c)3 non-profit, 100% volunteer organization dedicated to enabling Upstate South Carolina children to succeed by focusing on literacy, nutrition and mentoring for kids in Greenville, Pickens and Oconee counties.
In 2017 alone, CRO members’ financial donations exceeded $500,000. These donations provide funding to local schools with a continued emphasis on funding gaps by augmenting each school’s educational resources, supporting selected technology-related budgets to provide gap funding of critical items, and providing emergency food and clothing for the most underserved children in the Upstate. Combined with 17,800 volunteer hours completed, members of CRO impacted more than 5,600 students from early childhood to college in Greenville, Pickens and Oconee counties in 2017. CRO has big plans for 2018 and has recently been selected as a beneficiary of the BMW Charity Pro-Am presented by SYNNEX Corporation, which is returning to The Cliffs Valley May 17-20. You may support CRO by volunteering at the BMW Charity Pro-Am, playing in the tournament or purchasing tickets to the tournament. Since its inception in 2007, CRO has raised more than $3 million to benefit children of the Upstate.
Also formed in 2007, the Walnut Cove Members Association (WCMA) is a 501(c)3 organization comprised of members of The Cliffs at Walnut Cove, located in Arden, North Carolina, committed to giving back to the Asheville and greater Western North Carolina community.
WCMA hosts an annual “Weekend of Giving” — a four-day fundraising event that includes golf and tennis tournaments — which raised more than $173,000 in 2017. These funds, along with annual membership dues and donations, resulted in 32 grants to a diverse range of non-profit organizations across the region, including providing art tables for pediatric patients at Mission Children’s Hospital, supporting arts and wellness programs for veterans through the Asheville Area Arts Council, upgrading the Avery’s Creek Elementary School library, providing hot meals to homeless individuals through the Haywood Street Church Asheville Welcome Table, purchasing uniforms and equipment for Special Olympics of Buncombe County athletes, and more.
Since its inception in 2007, WCMA has awarded 270 grants totaling nearly $1 million to local charities.
Combined with the contributions of CRO and WCMA, charitable efforts across The Cliffs communities totaled nearly $1 million in 2017. Other charitable efforts include:
The Cliffs at Keowee Vineyards members and residents assisted Pickens County Schools in securing a $6 million National Connect Ed Technology Grant connecting 2500 middle schoolers with tablets and 3 years of free broadband access beginning in the 2016-2017 academic school year.
The Cliffs Valley Ladies Golf Association raised over $32,000 for Upstate South Carolina domestic violence agency Safe Harbor. The Cliffs Valley Ladies Golf Association began supporting the organization six years ago and has contributed more than $118,000 to Safe Harbor.
Members of The Cliffs at Glassy and Valley communities contributed over $50,000 to the Glassy Mountain Fire Department in 2017.
The Cliffs at Glassy members raised over $25,000 for Pet Tender Angels, a 501(c)(3) non-profit providing rescue and rehabilitation for homeless animals.
The Cliffs Valley members and residents recently presented Upstate Warrior Solution, a local veterans aid organization, with $42,000 raised during their annual Memorial Day golf tournament.
In 2017, The Cliffs corporation has raised more than $75,000 for charitable organizations through their donations of packages, foursome golf matches, and more.