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The Village in Winnsboro in Fairfield County looks like any new suburb across South Carolina. This neighborhood, however, is a one of a kind teacher retention and recruitment tool First Community Bank helped bring to reality in 2024.

The Village in Winnsboro, a residential development dreamed up by the Fairfield County School District, features a mix of 17 one- and two-story homes equipped with appliances and high speed internet plus a community technology center. First-year teachers need only pay their utilities while established teachers have access to highly affordable rent.

On September 23, 2024, First Community Bank officials joined local and state leaders to celebrate the official ribbon cutting of the community. After the ceremony, the bank gifted each new resident with a small tool box and tools they can use to maintain their home.

A bright spot in a community that struggles to attract and retain high quality educators, The Village is also a place where teachers can live alongside other teachers and mentor younger teachers. Phase one of the neighborhood, which was funded through a mix of donated land, tax discounts, a legal settlement, and First Community Bank loans, is expected to grow in the future with nine more lots ready for development.

According to Vaughan Dozier, Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial and Retail Banking Officer at First Community Bank, assisting in the community’s development is a reflection of the bank’s core purpose of impacting lives for success and significance. “Students are going to benefit from the teacher village by having some of the best teachers come to Fairfield,” he said.