The Cooperative Ministry

Our Mission: To increase the economic self-sufficiency of people experiencing poverty in the Midlands through crisis assistance and sustainability programs.

Our Distinctives:

• Organized by five downtown Columbia churches in 1982, The Cooperative Ministry has served the Midlands for 43 years.
• The Cooperative Ministry is a debt-free organization, and 87 percent of our expenses support program services.
• The Cooperative Ministry offers eight unique services aimed at Immediate Needs and Empowerment, helping people aim toward economic self-sufficiency.

• The Cooperative Ministry's clothing bank allows clients to "shop" for the free clothing they need and want for work or school.
• The Cooperative Ministry is supported by dozens of church partners, corporations and small businesses, foundations, and thousands of individuals.
• A local board of directors governs The Cooperative Ministry.
• The Cooperative Ministry operates a Car Donation Program in-house, ensuring all the proceeds of car sales remain in the community to serve others. All donated cars are sold at a local dealer auction. The Cooperative Ministry maintains a Dealer's License with the SC Department of Motor Vehicles, and the Car Donation Program is audited by the DMV annually.

Our CY 2025 Impact:

• The Cooperative Ministry served 15,593 people, serving 719 more than in 2024.
• 757 People benefited from one-to-one Financial Empowerment Coaching, which often includes Financial Assistance for rent and utilities while participants work on financial goals like household budget management, opening a savings account, and improving credit scores.
• 3,810 People benefited from free clothing for work and school. In addition to our clients, The Cooperative Ministry provides free clothing for men, women, and children to other area non-profits and local school districts.
• 3,072 People benefited from emergency food boxes and snack packs from our food pantry. With thanksgiving for community food donations of shelf-stable, unexpired food, our emergency food helps individuals and families until they can reach one of our area's more robust food banks. We also provide lists of those food banks with their hours of operation.
• 7,805 Free Tax Returns were prepared by IRS-trained volunteer tax preparers through the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Program that is managed for the Midlands by The Cooperative Ministry.
• 92 People received help toward a GED, license, or certificate necessary for a better job. Our Career Improvement Program also works with the Richland County Solicitor's Office to pay the administrative costs for expunging qualifying, first-time offenses from a criminal record.

340 Volunteers served 14,300 hours. Of The Cooperative Ministry's total workforce, 31 percent is comprised of volunteers. Volunteers serve as individuals and as part of church, corporate, and community groups.