U.S. Small Business Administration Hosting Nationwide Pitch Competition

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The U.S. Small Business Administration is hosting a nationwide pitch competition that will bring together entrepreneurs from across the country who are building and scaling businesses within their communities.

Selected businesses will be invited to participate in a live pitch competition in Washington, DC, which will culminate in a $1 million prize pool to celebrate the innovation and ambition that has driven American ingenuity for the past 250 years.

The competition features a $1 million cash prize pool, funded by Clover, and is designed to showcase innovative small businesses that are driving economic growth, creating jobs, and strengthening American competitiveness.  There will be five awards made, totaling $1 million:

  • 1st Place: $400,000
  • 2nd Place: $250,000
  • 3rd Place: $150,000
  • 4th Place: $125,000
  • 5th Place: $75,000

The deadline to apply is June 10. Eligibility and other details are here

https://preview.sba.gov/freedom-250/

For more information, click here.

SC Cancer Alliance – Brothers on the Porch

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The community is invited to join the SC Cancer Alliance for their 2nd Annual Men’s Health Month Celebration, themed “Brothers on The Porch.”

This event will be held on Wednesday, June 3, 2026, from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM at the Senior Citizen Association, located at 600 Senior Way, Florence, SC 29505.

“Brothers on The Porch” is all about creating a relaxed, welcoming space to discuss important topics impacting our communities, including:

  • Men’s health awareness and cancer prevention
  • Breast and cervical cancer education
  • Mental health and overall wellness
  • Access to care and healthy lifestyle choices

This event will feature engaging panel discussions, community resources, and opportunities to connect with others who are passionate about improving health outcomes for all.

To view the full flyer, click here.

Holt Bros BBQ Hosting Chicken Bog Plate Benefit for Lupo Family – Tomorrow

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Holt Bros BBQ is hosting a Chicken Bog Plate Benefit for the family of Kenneth Lupo, who passed away from cancer and leaves behind his wife and two young boys.

100% of proceeds go directly to the family. $10 plates • June 2nd • 10:30 AM – 3 PM. Delivery available for 10 or more plates.

Emerging Leaders Summer Institute Holds Retreat

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The Chamber’s Emerging Leaders Summer Institute class of 2026 kicked off their summer with a retreat at Eastern Carolina Community Foundation.

The purpose of the program is to identify, develop and empower “Emerging Leaders” excelling to the next level of community and business leadership. The group had an informative training session, a Chamber 101 presentation, and also heard from Holly Beaumier of the Florence Convention Visitors Bureau.

The retreat was facilitated by Gina Trimarco Klauder of Pivot10 Results.

To see more photos from the day, click here.

Lucky Dog Animal Rescue Featured on ChamberLink Radio

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Stephanie Moore, Program Director was the Florence Chamber’s guest this past weekend talking about topics including the shelters affordable pet services to area residents, as well as jobs and internship opportunities critical to the Pee Dee. She will also talk about the shelters endeavor to build new housing for cat adoption.

We encourage you to tune-in every Sunday from 12:00-12:30pm on LIVE 95.3FM in Florence, SC.

This program is brought to you by the Greater Florence Chamber of Commerce, MUSC Health Florence Medical Center and LIVE 95.3FM.

Looking for past ChamberLink Radio Show interviews? Click here:

https://www.flochamber.com/events-programs/podcasts/

We Are Sharing Hope Cuts Ribbon on Chamber Membership

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Madison Kemplin along with her colleagues, from We Are Sharing Hope SC (SHSC), and Chamber Ambassadors cut their ribbon joining the Greater Florence Chamber of Commerce.

We Are Sharing Hope SC (SHSC), South Carolina’s federally designated organ, eye and tissue recovery organization, along with Chamber Ambassadors celebrates its membership with the Greater Florence Chamber of Commerce during an official ribbon-cutting ceremony.

With a team of more than 150 dedicated professionals across South Carolina, SHSC is committed to honoring donor heroes, supporting donor families, educating the community and ensuring every donation opportunity is treated with the utmost care and respect. Working alongside hospitals, healthcare professionals, coroners, funeral homes and community partners statewide, the organization helps transform loss into hope by facilitating organ eye, and tissue donation and making lifesaving and healing transplants possible.

To read the full story, click here.

SPC Credit Union Hosts Poverty Simulation with Leadership Hartsville

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SPC Credit Union recently partnered with the Greater Hartsville Chamber of Commerce’s Leadership Hartsville program to host a poverty simulation at the Hampton Inn & Suites in downtown Hartsville on Thursday, May 14. The immersive exercise brought together SPC Credit Union staff, Leadership Hartsville participants, and community volunteers for a firsthand experience of the financial pressures and difficult decisions faced by individuals and families living in poverty.

Brooke Humphries, SPC’s Community Impact Liaison, modeled the simulation after a similar activity that the Carolinas Credit Union Foundation, of which the credit union is a Member, hosts. Humphries says of her goal for the activity: “I wanted to transform the numbers for people. We see statistics that share how much of our community is struggling financially, but until we feel the stress and heartache of the hard choices that people may have to make, it will remain just numbers. I think this activity helps to break down stereotypes and bridges a gap in empathy.” To help bring the activity to life, SPC’s staff volunteers were supplemented by representatives from Genesis Healthcare, Darlington County First Steps, and Rubicon Family Counseling Center, helping to facilitate the simulation and bring a range of community perspectives to the experience.

To read the full press release, click here.

Palmetto Goodwill Holds Ribbon Cutting Ceremony

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Tammy Poston cuts the ribbon for Goodwill in Florence along with Chamber Ambassadors welcoming them to the Greater Florence Chamber of Commerce.

As a local nonprofit, more than ninety cents of every dollar that comes to Goodwill supports their programs and services. Generous community members donate items to our Goodwill locations, supporting their mission. Donated items are sold in their stores, generating funds for community programs. Proceeds fund job training, education, and employment services.

Through these services, Goodwill helps individuals secure full-time employment. SNAP2WORK, SNAP recipients receive career navigation assistance at no cost, in partnership with the South Carolina Department of Social Services (SC DSS) Employment and Training. Each participant is paired with a dedicated success coach who provides personalized workforce development support. Success coaches ensure that participants’ career paths align with their educational and financial goals, leading to long-term stability and success. Those eligible can also earn a career certification to increase their employment opportunities.

To read the full story, click here.

State Economists Update Revenue Forecasts

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Earlier this month, the South Carolina Board of Economic Advisors (BEA) met to update General Fund revenue forecasts for FY2025-26 and FY2026-27. As members of the budget conference committee meet in the coming weeks to finalize the differences between the House and Senate’s version of the state’s FY2026-27 budget (H.5126), they will have an additional $370 million in one-time money and an additional $210 million in recurring money to appropriate per the BEA.

The revenue increases were driven mainly by greater than anticipated individual income tax collections. The full briefing can be found by clicking here.

Florence Chamber of Commerce Accepting Business Person of the Year Nominations

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The Greater Florence Chamber of Commerce is now accepting nominations for the 2026 Business Person of the Year. If you know someone you feel is a successful businessperson with a record of responsibility toward employees, customers, and members of the community, you may want to consider nominating them for the Businessperson of the Year. This person must work for a business that is a member of the Greater Florence Chamber of Commerce and be associated with a sole proprietorship, partnership, corporation or professional practice in the Florence area. (Elected officials and employees of government or not-for-profit organizations are ineligible unless they are also involved in business and meet eligibility requirements.)

The Business Person of the Year award will be presented at the Chamber’s Fall Membership Luncheon on September 23rd at the Florence Center. To submit your nominations or for more information, please email Susan Farver at sfarver@flochamber.com or Michael Miller at mmiller@flochamber.com. The deadline for nominations is Friday, July 10th.