FREDDIE MAC HELPS OPEN FLORENCE COUNTY, S.C. TECHNOLOGY CENTER

Lake City, SC – Florence County School District Three joined community partners including the South Carolina Department of Commerce, Freddie Mac and HOPE worldwide South Carolina to formally open the Florence County School District Technology Center in Lake City, on Monday, October 29.

The Technology Center will serve as a comprehensive one-stop facility providing area youth and adults access to technology and educational resources, improving their academic performance and preparing them for transitioning into the job market.

"This is an exciting day for Florence County School District Three and those who live in our communities," said district superintendent Beth M. Wright. "We look forward to our partnership with Freddie Mac, the Department of Commerce and HOPE worldwide as we work to provide an environment in which all individuals in Florence School District Three are empowered to become lifelong learners and effective users of information, ideas, and technology."

Students enrolled in Florence School District Three utilizing the Technology Center for curriculum support will have access to software of the district's curriculum based on the South Carolina standards. College courses and recertification courses will be available through the computer lab, as well as Adult Education and One Stop Center programs, are extended in the Technology Center hours. Fun and creative programs to help both students and adults learn about technology in their everyday lives, such as resume preparation, technology training, digital art and photography classes, desktop publishing, and technology camps will be held on a regular basis. The center is the fourth of its kind in South Carolina.

"A skilled workforce is one of the most important factors companies consider when making new investment decisions," said Joe Taylor, South Carolina Secretary of Commerce. "This facility will further the state's economic development initiatives by giving adults and young people the training necessary for new employment. Commerce is pleased to have worked in partnership with the local community, HOPE worldwide, and Freddie Mac. We look forward to the future growth of this facility and the opportunities it will bring its citizens in the years to come," he said.

"The South Carolina Technology Center program is the perfect vehicle to build the core job and life skills that our citizens need so that our state can compete in the 21st Century," said Antonio B. Boyd, Vice President of US Programs, HOPE worldwide Ltd. "This is an idea whose time has come! I am proud to have worked with the Department of Commerce, companies like Freddie Mac and community leaders from across the state to make this program a reality."

"Freddie Mac works to make home possible for more families," said Ralph F. Boyd, Jr., executive vice president of Freddie Mac, which has invested $600,000 to support the opening of five empowerment centers around the state including Florence School District Three's. "We recognize that there are many steps on the path to homeownership. That's why we are proud to work with the State of South Carolina, Senator Lindsey Graham, and HOPE worldwide to ensure that more young people are prepared for the journey. By investing in youth early, we are empowering them to realize their dreams."

The Center is funded by the South Carolina Department of Commerce, the state's lead agency for the growth and development of business and industry, along with a $600,000 investment from Freddie Mac. HOPE worldwide SC, a non-profit whose vision is to bring hope and change lives through its programs in education, healthcare, senior care and community development, is the lead organizer for all the state's empowerment centers. Day-to-day operations of the Lake City location will be handled in partnership with the Florence County School District Three.

Freddie Mac is a stockholder-owned company established by Congress in 1970 to support homeownership and rental housing. Freddie Mac fulfills its mission by purchasing residential mortgages and mortgage-related securities, which it finances primarily by issuing mortgage-related securities and debt instruments in the capital markets. Over the years, Freddie Mac has made home possible for one in six homebuyers and more than four million renters in America.

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