Columbia Chamber

Chamber Partners, don’t miss out! ??? Be part of our Shop Small, Celebrate Big holiday campaign and drive more holiday shoppers to your business. Sign up by Friday, November 29, to be featured on our community shopping passport. Let’s make this holiday season unforgettable! ??? Sign Up Now >>> https://loom.ly/mCbk2Go

?? Be part of our Shop Small, Celebrate Big holiday campaign! ?? Chamber Partners, don’t miss this chance to drive community engagement and holiday shopping traffic your way! Join as a participating business and help spread holiday cheer with our passport program. ??? Here’s how it works: Community members will collect signatures by shopping with you and other local businesses to reach a $100 total and submit their passport for a chance to win big! Sign up today to get your business on the passport and bring more customers through your doors this holiday season. Chamber Partner Sign Up >>> https://loom.ly/mCbk2Go

Join us at December's Breakfast Briefing to explore coordinated efforts to address workforce challenges in the Midlands. Hear from program leaders about the skilled talent they're developing and data-driven strategies for tackling workforce issues. Learn how you can get involved and connect with the resources shaping tomorrow's workforce. Register Now >>> https://loom.ly/8ZJBfBQ

?? Earlier this month, our Campus Leaders dived into Finance & Law Day at Bauknight Pietras & Stormer, P.A.! Here's a glimpse of their impactful day: ?? Main Street Overview with Kelsey Bickley, Main Street District ?? Columbia Museum of Art & Career Coaching led by Kaity Monroe ?? BPS Career Discussion and Company Overview with Paul Medlin & Team ?? Effective Networking tips from Anna Mills, Amplified Communications ?? Legal Profession Panel featuring: ?? James Leventis, Assistant US Attorney, District of SC ?? Molley Clarkson, Associate General Counsel, BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina ?? Dayton Riddle, Associate, Parker Poe Adams & Bernstein LLP Thank you to our fantastic speakers for making Finance & Law Day a success! ?? Learn More About Campus Leaders >>> https://loom.ly/T_1xMiE

?? Thank You to Our Leadership Development Sponsor! ?? A big thank you to Sound & Images SC for your incredible support as the Leadership Development Sponsor for Campus Leaders! Your dedication to empowering the next generation of leaders is truly appreciated. Learn More >>> https://loom.ly/T_1xMiE

Thank you, ?? The Columbia Museum of ARTS ?? DoubleTree by Hilton Columbia ?? Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers ?? South Carolina State Fair for being the Four Star Sponsors for our Military Affairs program this year! Your invaluable support enables our Chamber to serve as a strong advocate for our military community. Learn More About Military Affairs >>> https://loom.ly/6pmAKbc

?? Join us for the upcoming Military Outreach Group on November 19 to hear from the greater Columbia military community, including Fort Jackson, SC National Guard, SC Air National Guard, USO South Carolina, and other military-related support groups. Whether you're a veteran, active-duty service member, or a supporter of our brave military community, this event is for YOU! ???? Register Now >>> https://loom.ly/JiRXACc

Thank you Pyramid Contracting, LLC for being our Best Shot Awards Sponsor of our 5th Annual Sporting Clay Tournament with Greater Cayce West Columbia Chamber of Commerce! We'll see everyone out on the range on November 20! Learn More >>> https://loom.ly/E80i_FU #ColaClayTournament

I had the opportunity to attend the Columbia Chamber of Commerce Breakfast honoring and welcoming Major General Darryl O. Hood to Ft. Jackson! Columbia Chamber Susan Vaughan McPherson did a phenomenal job in hosting leaders and public servents throughout the Midlands. Thank you for your continuous partnership! One thing for sure #ColumbiaSC is the friendliest military community. A special recognition to Cynthia M. Grant, CMP DoubleTree by Hilton Columbia and Conference Center for also hosting this momentum occasion! Experience Columbia SC #ECSC

Yesterday was the Columbia Chamber’s Leadership Columbia Health & Human Services Day where our 60-member cohort faced raw truths of disparities in health, housing, and hunger here in South Carolina. The voices of CEOs from our local medical systems—Prisma Health, MUSC Health and Lexington Medical Center—alongside agencies like United Way of the Midlands (SC), Harvest Hope Food Bank and BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina echoed with insights about systemic wounds too deep for any one person to heal. Yet, it was the one hour Community Action Poverty Simulation hosted by Rania Jamison that truly opened our eyes to the complexities of systemic poverty. In this role-playing experience, I stepped into the life of 14-year-old Diana Duntley, the daughter of a 34-year-old single mom whose formal education ended in 10th grade. “My” 17-year-old brother, Dan, whose girlfriend was now pregnant, had already dropped out of school and turned to dealing drugs. And, just a week prior, “my” father had walked out on us, leaving behind a mere $10 cash to navigate a world filled with obstacles. Our home was a cramped three-room (3 rooms! total!) apartment in a rundown area, devoid of resources. Daily school attendance felt like a cage, stifling my will while amplifying my wants. Each teacher request—whether money for parties or papers that needed signing—became overwhelming. How can we remember our quiz when our next meal is the answer we seek? As the simulation unfolded, each 10-minute “week” brought new burdens, new challenges. Each compounding, upon one another. Then, unexpectedly, “my” dad died without insurance. Divorce wasn’t filed, so we were left to pay the bank for his burial—money we didn’t have. By weeks three and four, survival instincts took over. Choices were born not out of virtue, but vulnerability. Stealing a neighbor’s wallet meant enough food to calm hunger. Lifting a TV to pawn could postpone eviction. Panic. Anger. Annoyance. Resignation. Back to back, these emotions bubbled in our groups, mirroring an unforgiving system in the day to day reality of so many. Barriers loomed large— transportation troubles, childcare challenges, little time to complete all tasks, low awareness of support options, and the relentless weight of stressors that suffocated hope day in, day out. Statistics alone cannot capture all the human stories that lie beneath. But here in the nonprofit world I’ve met them. I’ve looked them in the eyes. I’ve cried with them. Many of you have too. Reflecting on this experience, I am reminded yet again of the profound responsibility we carry as leaders to connect with the humanity behind the numbers. In a world that prioritizes efficiency over compassion and pushes head-knowledge over heart-knowing, nurturing a culture that honors the lived experiences of those we serve is not just important… It is essential.