(Columbia, SC)—Family Connection of South Carolina will host their annual Buddy Walk event on October 27th, 2024. This year marks the 25th anniversary of Buddy Walk in Columbia. Presenting sponsors for Buddy Walk 2024 will be Zinger’s Fencing and DentaQuest. The event will be held at Saluda Shoals Park at the athletic fields. Teams and individuals can register or donate to the event at www.familyconnectionsc.org/buddy-walk. Buddy Walk is held in honor of families who have a child with Down syndrome. Funds raised through Buddy Walk help Family Connection provide services and resources to families across South Carolina who have a child with a disability or chronic health condition. Buddy Walk also supports the vision of the National Down Syndrome Society to help create a world in which all people with Down syndrome have the opportunity to enhance their quality of life, realize their life aspirations and become valued members of

A job can have a profound effect on someone’s well-being. A good job creates financial stability, can make a person feel more secure and help them plan for the future. A good job provides benefits and other supports to workers when they need them. And when workers have a voice and opportunities to learn and grow, good jobs promote a sense of belonging.   That’s just one of the reasons that the Department of Labor wants to create not just any job but good jobs, and more pathways into those good jobs for young people. The department is committed to making sure everyone can get access to the support they need to live full and healthy lives.   For young adults in particular, positive, safe, and age-appropriate workforce development and training programs – like internships, apprenticeships, and mentoring programs – can also be important access points to information and resources on supporting

A child who receives Supplemental Security Income (SSI) may have been given Medicaid without parents having to submit a Medicaid application, for instance if the child spent time in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. If, for any reason, they are longer eligible to receive SSI (often because the household exceeds current income limits), parents must apply for Medicaid coverage for their child. This includes TEFRA Medicaid coverage. The Social Security Administration (SSA) regularly sends information to SC Department of Health and Human Services (SCDHHS) notifying them which SC residents are longer receiving SSI benefits.  SCDHHS Healthy Connections Medicaid then sends out letters to those individuals letting them know they must apply for Medicaid, or their current benefits will end at a certain date. If you receive this letter for your child, you can apply several ways: Once SC Medicaid receives the application, your benefits will remain open until the application

GREENVILLE, S.C. (April 11, 2024) – The Children’s Museum of the Upstate (TCMU) is partnering with a statewide nonprofit organization, Family Connection of South Carolina, to display pieces of Family Connection’s LOOK!™ Photography Exhibit. Family Connection serves families across South Carolina who have children with a disability or chronic health condition. The Children’s Museum of the Upstate is the 7th largest children’s museum in the nation, dedicated to hands-on learning and play for children ages 0-12 and their families.The collection will be presented at a private reception on Saturday, April 27th at 9:00 a.m.at The Children’s Museum of the Upstate located at 300 College Street in Greenville. Remarks will be provided by Lauren Luneckas, CEO of The Children’s Museum of the Upstate and Amy Holbert, CEO of Family Connection of South Carolina. The opening reception is an invitation only event. Any media interested in attending should reach out to Alison Storm, Marketing

Family Connection of South Carolina is seeking professionals to serve in volunteer leadership positions for their LOOK!™ and Buddy Walk fundraising events. Both events take place in the greater Columbia area. “For more than 30 years, Family Connection has provided support, training, outreach, and information to meet the individualized needs of families who are caring for a child or youth with a disability” said Amy Holbert, CEO of Family Connection. “Today, our services are needed more than ever, and all programs and services are provided at no cost to families” states Mrs. Holbert. LOOK! is a photography exhibit featuring photos of children and youth with a disability. Professional photographers volunteer to host photo sessions capturing candid moments of the child engaging in activities they enjoy. The photos are unveiled as a collection at an opening-night ceremony. The exhibit remains on display at the featured venue and travels to additional venues