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Monday 8:30am - 5pm Tuesday 8:30am - 5pm Wednesday 8:30am - 5pm Thursday 8:30am - 5pm Friday 8:30am - 5pm

South Carolina Appleseed Legal Justice Center

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South Carolina Appleseed Legal Justice Center

Contact information, map and directions, contact form, opening hours, services, ratings, photos, videos and announcements from South Carolina Appleseed Legal Justice Center, Nonprofit Organization, 1518 Washington Street, Columbia, SC.

South Carolina Appleseed Legal Justice Center is a forceful and respected advocate for low-income South Carolinians on issues such as housing, education, hunger, public benefits, domestic violence, immigration, healthcare, and consumer issues. SC Appleseed is dedicated to advocacy for low-income South Carolinians and to effecting systemic change by acting in and through the courts, legislature, administrative agencies, community and the media, and helping others do the same through education, training and co-counseling.

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El centro de Justicia Legal Appleseed de Carolina del Sur ha sido un defensor respetado y fuerte para la gente de Carolina del Sur de bajo ingreso en asuntos como alojamiento, educación, el hambre, beneficios públicos, violencia doméstica, inmigración, el seguro médico, y asuntos del consumador. SC Appleseed se dedica a la defensa de la gente de Carolina del Sur de bajo ingreso y afectar cambio sistemático por actuando en y por las cortes, la legislatura, agencias administrativas, la comunidad y las noticias, y ayudando a los demás hacer lo mismo por educación, entretenimiento, y co-asesoramiento.

10/15/2026

Want to get involved in the Dominion/NextEra merger proposal? There are FOUR ways you can take action in the coming weeks:

1. Send in a letter of protest. The Public Service Commission is currently taking written feedback regarding the merger. We have launched our action tool which lets South Carolina Dominion customers quickly send a letter of protest to say NO to Dominion and NextEra's merger proposal: https://www.scjustice.org/action/

2. Sign up to publicly speak at the Columbia, Aiken, or Charleston public hearings in November. We have details of the hearing dates and how to sign up to speak in our toolkit: https://www.scjustice.org/dominion-nextera-merger-call-to-action/

3. Come attend one of our upcoming workshops on how to get involved in the merger. Our first dates are in Columbia and Aiken. We’ll talk about what’s going on, provide tips on how to prepare for speaking at the public hearing, and help develop your messaging. Details are below for our first two sessions:

Columbia Session
When: October 26, 2026
Time: 5:30 PM to 7:30 PM
Where: Brookland Lakeview
1218 Batchelor St
West Columbia, SC 29169 United States
Register here: tinyurl.com/stopthemergersc

Aiken Session:
When: Monday, November 2nd
Time: 5:30-7:30
Where: Rural Health Services' Clyburn Center for Primary Health Care, Women's and Children's Center Auditorium.
995 Clyburn Place, Aiken, SC 29801
Register here: tinyurl.com/stopthemergerscaiken

4. Talk to your community members about this merger! It’s important for customers in the Dominion area to understand what is happening and participate in the discussion. You can visit our toolkit for details and talking points.

Currently, the Public Service Commission (PSC) is reviewing the merger proposal and initiating public engagement in the process to hear from South Carolinians. The final decision is set to be made on January 29, 2027. If approved, this merger would create the largest private, regulated electric utility in the country, and place immense power in a company that seems more focused on maximizing profits than providing affordable, clean, and reliable energy to its customers. Help send those letters in today and get some momentum going: https://www.scjustice.org/action/

Thank you for your time and advocacy!

10/13/2026

Our Deputy Director Jennifer Rainville and Law Clerk Elizabeth Buckner, with help from our friends from Family Connection of South Carolina, held our Special Education Advocate Training in Bennettsville last week. Thanks to the Bennettsville Chamber of Commerce for providing a great space for us to host the training and a big thank you to everyone who attended.

Our next training is in Orangeburg, and space is filling up quickly! Reserve a spot today at bit.ly/EdAdvocateTrainingFCOrangeburg

Orangeburg Training Details
When: October 23, 2026, 10AM - 5PM
Where: Orangeburg County Library
1645 Russell St, Orangeburg, SC 29115
Register here: bit.ly/EdAdvocateTrainingFCOrangeburg

10/08/2026

SC Appleseed in partnership with the Columbia Tenants Union invite you to a community meeting to discuss the NextEra/Dominion Merger and learn ways to get involved in the fight to stop it. Come learn about the merger and the ways you can get involved. We will help you workshop your letter of protest and/or presentation for the public hearing. Our first two sessions will be in Columbia and Aiken.

DETAILS
Events are free to attend.
Free food will be provided.
Register today to secure a spot.

Columbia Session
When: October 26, 2026
Time: 5:30 PM to 7:30 PM
Where: Brookland Lakeview
1218 Batchelor St
West Columbia, SC 29169 United States
Register here: tinyurl.com/stopthemergersc

Aiken Session:
When: Monday, November 2nd
Time: 5:30-7:30
Where: Rural Health Services' Clyburn Center for Primary Health Care, Women's and Children's Center Auditorium.
995 Clyburn Place, Aiken, SC 29801
Register here: tinyurl.com/stopthemergerscaiken

ABOUT THE MERGER

NextEra, a Florida based utility company wants to buy out Dominion Energy. NextEra has a track record of bad business practices, high rates of disconnections, and rate increases that could place a great amount of burden on South Carolinians. SC has kicked NextEra out before and we need to do it again.

10/07/2026

In just over two weeks, we're gathering to celebrate Senator Gerald Malloy, SC Appleseed's 2026 Advocate of the Year, and we want you in the room. www.scjustice.org/aoy

At this year's reception, Senator Malloy will receive the Rev. Sen. Clementa C. Pinckney Award for Justice.

In more than two decades in the Senate, he took on some of South Carolina's hardest justice issues. Access to counsel. Second chances. A Statehouse that welcomes everyone.

You or someone you know has felt the impact of his work, even if you didn't know he was behind it. This is a chance to thank him in person, alongside friends, colleagues, and others from across our community.

Get your tickets or sponsor today! www.scjustice.org/aoy

10/06/2026

Thank you to everyone who has submitted comments to the Food and Nutrition Administration so far regarding the proposed change. If you have not submitted comment, the portal is open til October 15: https://www.regulations.gov/document/FNA-2026-0311-0004

The State of South Carolina filed a waiver with the federal government to change the SNAP definition of food for purchase to rule out “candy, energy drinks, soft drinks, and sweetened beverages.” This demonstration project was intended to start on August 31, 2026, but has been delayed for feedback and to examine implementation.

The Food and Nutrition Administration was found to have violated the law when it failed to put the waiver out for comment. They have provided a comment period to allow people in and out of our state to provide comments to this proposal. There is a South Carolina portal for you to share your thoughts on the project between now and 11:59 PM October 15, 2026.

It is very important that we all use our voice to speak up about this effort to radically change SNAP .

You can find the portal to send your comment here: https://www.regulations.gov/document/FNA-2026-0311-0004

10/05/2026

Our next Special Education Advocate Training will be in Orangeburg, South Carolina on October 23!

This free in-person training will help participants gain practical knowledge of federal and state special education law, the IEP process, and effective advocacy strategies, with a focus on supporting families who need it most.

We hope you can join us! Thank you to Family Connection of South Carolina for partnering and helping power this event.

Orangeburg Training Details
When: October 23, 2026, 10AM - 5PM
Where: Orangeburg County Library
1645 Russell St, Orangeburg, SC 29115
Register here: bit.ly/EdAdvocateTrainingFCOrangeburg

***Reminder, our Bennettsville training is this Friday! There's still time to register. Details below.***

Bennettsville Training Information
Date: October 9, 2026
Time: 9:00 AM - 4:00PM
Location: Bennettsville Chamber of Commerce
126 S Marlboro St, Bennettsville, SC 29512
Register here: bit.ly/EdAdvocateTrainingFCBennettsville

10/01/2026

Recently our Story Collection Organizer Shatari Dunmore led a community listening session in Marion County to talk about health issues in their community. The event was held in partnership with Pick 42 Foundation and The United People Project. Thanks to their tremendous help for bringing members of the community together for this conversation.

🚗 The Common Themes from Marion Residents

- Everything is unaffordable (i.e. prescriptions, groceries, gas).
- Their local hospital isn’t fully equipped for their needs; doctors are leaving the community to go to Florence or Horry County. People in the community prefer to go to Florence or Horry County for adequate care.
- There is a lack of adequate community transportation. The bus stops running at 4:30pm.
- Residents feel pinched. They expressed a need for Medicaid and SNAP, but are unable to get them because they “make too much” income per the state.

📢 What Marion residents had to say about affordability:

“The cost of living is getting higher, and the income isn’t adding up. If you do have an income minimum wage is still [7.25] an hour, it’s impossible to keep up.”

“You pay for your medicine, but you have premiums, you have your deductibles, you paid for your medicine you can’t spend that much. You can’t go to the grocery store and buy some chicken. So, if your light bill this much, it’s the summer months. It’s hot, you have no choice. ‘The big, beautiful bill’ that’s all you gotta put all across there because it has affected every area of my life.”

🖊️ Want to share your healthcare story?

SC Appleseed is currently asking South Carolinian’s about their recent experiences (any time from 2025-2026) with Medicaid, ACA, and Food Benefits (SNAP). Your experiences will be used to help fix problems with the system and improve healthcare and food access in the state!

Take the survey today: tinyurl.com/surveyschealth

09/28/2026

Join us in celebrating SC Appleseed's 2026 Advocate of the Year, Senator Gerald Malloy—and make a real impact! Visit scjustice.org/aoy to see sponsorship options and make your pledge in his honor today!

We'll present Senator Malloy with the Rev. Sen. Clementa C. Pinckney Award for Justice at a reception on Thursday, October 22, 2026, at 5:30 PM, at The Hall at Senate's End in Columbia, and we’d love for you to be part of this memorable opportunity by becoming a sponsor.

In the words of SC Appleseed Founder/Director of Policy, Sue Berkowitz, "So much of what South Carolina has gotten right over the last two decades has his fingerprints on it."

Your sponsorship is a direct way to honor that legacy and to invest in SC Appleseed's ability to keep doing this work. A range of sponsorship levels are available, and every one of them makes a difference.

Become a sponsor today at scjustice.org/aoy

09/24/2026

Our Deputy Director Jennifer Rainville joined a terrific panel focused on preschool discipline on Wednesday as part of the SC Pyramid PIECES/SCPI/SCIC’s first annual United for Every Child conference. The panel also featured former State Director of SCDSS Mike Leach, Jena Martin, Chief SPED Officer at Family Connection of South Carolina and Able South Carolina President & CEO Kimberly Tissot.

Jennifer will soon be back on the road to Bennettsville for our next free Special Education Advocate training. It will be on October 9 in partnership with Family Connection of South Carolina.

Register today at bit.ly/EdAdvocateTrainingFCBennettsville

Bennettsville Training Information
Date: October 9, 2026
Time: 9:00 AM - 4:00PM
Location: Bennettsville Chamber of Commerce
126 S Marlboro St, Bennettsville, SC 29512

09/23/2026

The State of South Carolina filed a waiver with the federal government to change the SNAP definition of food for purchase to rule out “candy, energy drinks, soft drinks, and sweetened beverages.” This demonstration project was intended to start on August 31, 2026, but has been delayed for feedback and to examine implementation.

The Food and Nutrition Administration was found to have violated the law when it failed to put the waiver out for comment. They have provided a comment period to allow people in and out of our state to provide comments to this proposal. There is a South Carolina portal for you to share your thoughts on the project between now and 11:59 PM October 15, 2026.

It is very important that we all use our voice to speak up about this effort to radically change SNAP .

You can find the portal to send your comment here: https://www.regulations.gov/document/FNA-2026-0311-0004

“Putting restrictions on what people can buy places a stigma on SNAP users that they do not deserve It is very paternalistic for us to think that people who purchase their food with SNAP are not purchasing food in the best interest of themselves and their family,” says Sue Berkowitz, Founder/Director of Policy at SC Appleseed

Address

1518 Washington Street
Columbia, SC
29201

Opening Hours

Monday	8:30am - 5pm
Tuesday	8:30am - 5pm
Wednesday	8:30am - 5pm
Thursday	8:30am - 5pm
Friday	8:30am - 5pm

Telephone

+18038886100

Website

http://www.scjustice.org/

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