Engaging Creative Minds (ECM), a Charleston-based nonprofit, has been named a 2026 Chick-fil-A True Inspiration Awards® grant recipient, receiving $125,000 to expand its YEScarolina youth entrepreneurship program into high school classrooms statewide.
The Chick-fil-A True Inspiration Awards® recognize nonprofit organizations that are creating meaningful and lasting impact in their communities. YEScarolina provides students with the skills, confidence, and mindset needed to explore entrepreneurship, innovation, and career readiness.
“Entrepreneurship creates opportunity and lasting impact,” said Robin Berlinsky, CEO of Engaging Creative Minds. “We are grateful to Chick-fil-A, an organization built on entrepreneurial vision, for investing in our teachers and their students who will become South Carolina’s next generation of creators and leaders.”
YEScarolina programs are delivered directly in classrooms and through educator training, helping students develop real-world problem-solving skills, financial literacy, and leadership experience. The funding will support program expansion in high schools across the state, provide resources and training for educators, and increase opportunities for students to engage in hands-on entrepreneurship experiences, including competing in the annual statewide Business Plan Competition in Columbia.
The True Inspiration Awards were established in 2015 to honor the legacy of Chick-fil-A founder S. Truett Cathy and his commitment to generosity, service, and community impact. To date, Chick-fil-A has awarded nearly $40 million through the program to organizations addressing critical community needs.
This year, a total of 56 organizations were selected worldwide from more than 3,500 applicants, with over $6 million in grants awarded—marking the program’s largest global giving footprint to date.