On a warm afternoon on Hilton Head Island, children dash across a soccer field and climb on playground equipment at The Oaks apartment complex. Families gather nearby, talking and laughing, and the atmosphere is one of stability and pride. For longtime residents, it’s almost hard to remember that just 18 years ago, The Oaks was known for poverty, crime, and low property values.
That transformation – driven by the Neighborhood Outreach Connection (NOC) – is more than just a local success story. For founder Dr. Narendra P. Sharma, it represents the very heart of his vision: empowering communities to create an even playing field so families in poverty can pursue the American Dream.
Dr Sharma reading to kindergarten children at NOC’s learning center on Hilton Head Island.
Sharma spent 32 years at the World Bank, traveling across Asia, Latin America, and Africa. He saw firsthand both the crushing weight of poverty and the hope of grassroots change. Along the way, he met figures like Mother Teresa and learned the power of compassion coupled with practical solutions.
When he retired to Hilton Head in 2005, Sharma learned quickly that even amid affluence, pockets of poverty were hidden in plain sight. His global experiences and his upbringing in the Fiji Islands, where his parents modeled compassion and integrity, came together in a new purpose.
“Why not apply all the things that I have learned in my development work throughout the world?” he recalled asking himself. “Perhaps I can do that here locally a lot, pulling in all my experiences … and that gave birth to what I created in 2008.”
Teaching People How to Fish
At the core of NOC is a philosophy of empowerment. “If you teach people how to fish, they become independent, self-reliant, and have dignity,” Sharma said.
This approach sets NOC apart from traditional top-down models. Rather than waiting for families to seek help, NOC connects with neighborhoods, setting up learning centers inside apartment complexes or adjacent to target neighborhoods, building trust through presence. “Instead of them knocking on your door, we were knocking on their door,” Sharma said.
The Oaks apartment complex was where NOC’s vision first came alive. In 2008, the homeowners association invited Sharma to establish an after-school and summer learning program for local children. What began as a single center grew into a 12-year transformation that reshaped the entire community.
At that time, The Oaks was plagued by crime, instability, and economic hardship. Rather than start with expensive capital projects, NOC spent months listening to residents, identifying priorities, and fostering collaboration. Early requests included a playground and a soccer field. With support from local churches, community partners, and the homeowners association, those amenities were built, not just for residents, but with them. Families helped refurbish three apartments for learning centers, organized community events, and formed associations that gave them a voice in shaping their future.
Over the years, NOC’s programs at The Oaks expanded. Certified teachers and volunteers offered tutoring and homework help and enrichment activities for personal development. Health screenings and wellness workshops came directly into the neighborhood through partnerships with Beaufort Memorial Hospital, Hilton Head Hospital, Volunteers in Medicine, the local Lions Club, and the South Carolina Department of Health. Workforce training and adult education helped residents strengthen their economic prospects.
The results were profound. NOC invested more than $1 million between 2008 and 2020, raising funds through grants and private donations. Crime rates fell, property values rose, and more than 6,000 people benefited from NOC’s programs, Students graduated, families found stability, and The Oaks itself became a safer, stronger, more vibrant place to live. In 2020, NOC relocated its learning center, adjacent to The Oaks apartments and serving several nearby neighborhoods to help children and families in need.
“The Oaks is a classic case of showing that you can lift not only individuals and families but also an entire community,” Sharma said. Today, the thriving neighborhood stands as a testament to what’s possible when trust, partnerships, and persistence align.
Children and NOC field team celebrating completion of the fall term at NOC’s learning center in Bluffton.
Education and Health Care
While The Oaks illustrates the integrated community development model, education remains NOC’s heartbeat. Students in NOC’s after-school and summer programs receive scholarships, with the expectation that academics come first. “Our centers are not daycare,” Sharma said. “Kids are here to learn, to grow, and to excel in school. If they want to play, they need to go somewhere else.”
The outcomes speak for themselves: More than 90% of the children served show measurable progress in reading and math. Some earn scholarships to private schools; others become the first in their families to attend college. One student, Jennie, joined NOC programs as a kindergartner, later graduated high school, earned a diploma, and now is productively employed in business.
“Education creates pathways for progress,” Sharma said. “It opens the door to the future.”
In the neighborhoods NOC serves, health care is often out of reach. Chronic conditions such as obesity, hypertension, and diabetes are common, compounded by limited access to affordable care. NOC’s solution is to bring health care to the community.
Through partnerships with hospitals, nonprofits, and civic groups, NOC hosts mobile health screenings for vision, dental care, hypertension, diabetes, and even cancer. Wellness workshops encourage healthier lifestyles. “If you want to lift people out of poverty, you have to create pathways for them to be healthy,” Sharma said. “When they’re healthy, they’re productive in the workplace. When a child is healthy, they perform better in school.”
For adults, NOC offers programs in financial literacy, computer skills, and entrepreneurship. Many residents already possess talent, but not the business knowledge to succeed. NOC bridges that gap.
One family, for example, had strong construction skills but no experience in licensing or financial management. With NOC’s guidance, they formalized their business, grew it into a viable enterprise, and bought a home. “That’s what the American Dream is about,” Sharma said.
Children and NOC staff sharing the joy of completing an academic year successfully at NOC’s learning center in Beaufort.
Partnerships and Trust
Central to NOC’s model is collaboration. Partnerships with schools, churches, health providers, owners’ association, public agencies, townships, and businesses expand capacity and services. Island Lutheran Church, for instance, hosts a learning center that serves children from nearby trailer parks. Beaufort Memorial Hospital has sent mobile units into neighborhoods for nearly two decades.
But it all begins with trust. At The Oaks, residents wanted a playground before anything else. By listening and responding, NOC demonstrated it was a trustworthy partner. “That was the hook,” Sharma said. “They realized we were listening.”
NOC’s effectiveness is matched by its efficiency. By streamlining operations and reducing overhead to less than 10%, NOC ensures that 90 cents of every dollar goes directly to frontline programs. Partnerships multiply impact: Every $1 invested in health care leverages $7 to $8 in partner services.
These results have earned national recognition, including platinum-level transparency from GuideStar and four stars from Charity Navigator. But for Sharma, the real measure of sustainability is long-term transformation. “It takes 12 years to educate a child,” he said. “Real change doesn’t happen overnight. We make that clear to our funders and partners.”
As NOC approaches its 20th year, Sharma is preparing for the future with the help of NOC’s executive director, Julie Palma, and a proactive board. Plans are underway for a new center in Bluffton and expansion north of the Broad River. The organization has already franchised once, in Virginia, and Sharma sees potential for national replication.
“This model is a well-kept secret,” he said. “But it has tremendous potential to transform communities across the country.”
For Sharma, recognition and awards are less important than results. What motivates him most are the small victories: a child proudly reporting good grades, a family buying their first home, a neighborhood regaining stability.
“If I could leave one legacy message for the children and families NOC serves, it would be this: Put education first,” he said. “Education creates pathways for economic and social progress – and happiness.”
Neighborhood Outreach Connection By the Numbers
Founded: 2008; currently operates 5 centers in Beaufort County
Founder: Dr. Narendra P. Sharma, PhD
Core Values: Integrity • Compassion • Commitment
Investment at The Oaks: $1,000,000 over 12 years
Lives Impacted at The Oaks: 6,000+ residents
Students Served Annually: 700+ through education/enrichment programs over 3 terms
Student Progress: 90%+ show measurable growth in reading and math
Financial Stewardship: 90% of every dollar to frontline programs; <10% overhead
Leveraged Impact: For every $1 in health, $7-$8 in partner services
National Recognition: GuideStar Platinum Transparency • 4 Stars Charity Navigator
