Communities in Schools latest recipient of Scott donation.

• Position: Communities in Schools of South Carolina, philanthropist Mackenzie Scott

Statewide nonprofit Communities in Schools of South Carolina is the latest recipient of a multimillion-dollar donation from philanthropist Mackenzie Scott.

The $2.5 million received by the S.C. organization is part of a $133.5 million donation to the Communities in Schools Network and National Office, according to a news release.

Communities in Schools' mission is to surround students with support, empowering them to stay in school and achieve in life. The donation will help the organization fulfill that mission in the face of challenges such as social isolation, economic crisis and trauma during the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Our goal is to bring the CIS model to every one of the 650 Title I-eligible schools in South Carolina," Jamie Cooper, Communities in Schools president and CEO, said in the release. "Currently, we operate in 34 schools, supporting 20,000 students, so we still have a long way to go, and we will need ongoing support to reach the nearly half a million students across our state who are living in poverty."

Established locally in 1987, the nonprofit saw 99.7% of students enrolled in its programs remain in school for the 2020-21 academic year.

In January, Communities In Schools affiliates in Greenville, the Midlands and the Charleston area merged to form Communities In Schools of South Carolina and increase the organization's statewide impact.

Scott, formerly married to Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, embarked on a giving spree in 2020. In...