About Michael's Way

What happens when high school is not enough?

A generation ago, a high school diploma or a GED was enough to put most people on the path to a stable job and steady income. Manufacturing jobs were plentiful, and skills could often be learned and honed on the job. As the workforce grew, families and communities thrived.

Times have changed. Most entry-level jobs now require additional technical training, certification or education, and high school graduates seldom have the skills to compete for these high-paying positions. In terms of earnings or employability, an adult who has recently earned a GED is only slightly better off than a high-school dropout. Even skilled, experienced workers face layoffs, plant closures and other industry changes that leave them in dire need of alternative career planning and retraining.

Michael's Way exists to help these adults increase their earnings by funding the continuing education they need to succeed.

When adults with a diploma or GED have the opportunity to continue their education immediately, the results can be astounding. Virtually all of the students who have received Michael's Way assistance have found employment, are earning significantly higher wages, and are building a safety net to protect their families. What's more, educated workers are the lifeblood of a healthy economy, so, over time, the benefits extend to the entire Upstate community.

We help clear a pathway to financial stability.

When workers are already to support themselves and their families in low-paying, dead-end jobs, it is practically impossible for them to take on the added costs of paying for more school. Even though they are highly motivated with a clear vision of a better future, educational costs are usually an immediate and seemingly insurmountable obstacle.

Michael's Way stipends help provide a pathway out of poverty and into financial stability. Students are referred to Michael's Way by local agencies that work with low-income adults. Often, these are students who are not eligible for traditional funding or who are in need of books, supplies or materials not covered by other sources. Financial assistance is paid directly to the community college, technical program, trade school or institution that provides the training. Michael's Way also partners with community resources such as The Greenville Literacy Association and The Buck Mickel Center at Greenville Technical College to track students' progress and provide ongoing referrals.

Educational investments pay big dividends for individuals and the economy.

Michael's Way provides the opportunity to work together to play a meaningful role in improving our community’s economic health. As a nonprofit 501(c)3 organization, Michael's Way welcomes funding from individuals, social service and governmental agencies, civic organizations, faith-based groups, educational institutions, foundations and corporations, and we constantly seek to expand our reach and visibility in order to serve more students.

Michael Francis Morrissey, 1960-2003

Michael’s Way is named in honor of Michael Francis Morrissey, an active volunteer who worked tirelessly to help Greenville's poor and low-income adults improve their lives. An art lover and published poet, Michael taught GED courses but recognized that the GED alone was often not enough to make a lasting difference. Michael decided to make a difference himself, by leaving seed money to found a charity that would give adults the opportunity to obtain better jobs.

Today, that organization is Michael's Way, and virtually all students who have received educational assistance are employed, earning higher incomes, and keeping their families out of poverty. That’s just the way Michael would have wanted it.