Sumter Receives Recognition in 2020 All-America City Award

SUMTER, S.C. (Aug. 21, 2020) – Sumter was named a top 20 city in the nation for the second consecutive year in the 2020 All-America City Award (AAC).

In recognition for its civic engagement practices that are inspirational, inclusive and promising, Sumter was named as one of eight silver award communities as a finalist in this year’s award, held virtually from Aug. 17-19. “It means that what we are recognized nationally as a city committed to being the best,” stated City of Sumter Mayor Joe McElveen. “Sumter applied as a community--Team Sumter--not just as a city, because we believe that working together makes us better.” This year’s competition focused specifically on enhancing health and well-being through civic engagement.

For its outreach to other communities involved in the presentation, Sumter was presented with a Random Act of Kindness Award from the National Civic League. Courtesy of Mayor Joe McElveen, a “Taste of Sumter & SC” care package consisting of locally sourced, South Carolina goods and products was mailed to each of the finalist communities prior to the award presentations.

Some of the City of Sumter’s partners in the 2020 All-America City Award presentation include the Santee-Lynches Regional Council of Governments, the Sumter School District, Tandem Health, the Sumter YMCA, Sumter United Ministries, the Sumter Police Department and Sumter County. The Hyatt Place Sumter/Downtown very generously provided the presentation team with meeting space for rehearsals and presentation day. These efforts were also made possible from contributions from other citizens, elected officials and organizations throughout the Sumter community.

In an effort to continue Sumter’s mission to collectively and collaboratively help solve our country’s most pressing and complex issues, the City of Sumter is proud to announce that an application on behalf of Sumter will be submitted for the 2021 All-America City Award. Community members and organizations will be contacted in the coming months to assist with support in creating the 2021 application.

###