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In an effort to help worthy organizations during the spring semester, the USA South Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) developed, "Pennies for a Purpose", in 2008. This year's community service initiative, in its 12th year, began as the student-athletes returned from winter break. The schools had until April 18th to collect loose change which would later be donated to an organization of their choosing.

Overall, the USA South institutions collected a record $22,125.14! Helping the Conference achieve the new record was the fact that seven institutions (Agnes Scott, Berea, Greensboro, Huntingdon, Piedmont, Salem and William Peace) improved on their totals from the previous year and established program records for funds collected. Over the 12-year history of the program, the USA South institutions have donated $100,658.03 to local organizations. 

With a grand total of $6,384.00, Huntingdon is the Pennies for a Purpose champion for the first time. The amount the Hawks raised is the highest single-year total collected in the history of this competition. Huntingdon will be presented the Pennies for a Purpose plaque at a later date. Averett raised $4,705.64 to finish second with the fourth-highest single-year total ever collected. In third place was William Peace with $2,035.00 raised. Maryville placed fourth with $1,983.00 gathered while Greensboro was fifth with $1,487.02 collected.

This is the second community service program developed by the USA South Conference SAAC as the "Cans Across the Conference" food drive, which takes place during the Thanksgiving holiday, was created in 2004. Through that campaign, USA South Institutions have donated a total of 505,781 items to their local communities. Averett was victorious in that competition for the fourth consecutive year by collecting 17,650 items.

Below is a list of the local organizations where the USA South institutions donated their collections:

Agnes Scott College - PAWS of Atlanta, Georgia, a no-kill animal shelter started by an Agnes Scott alum
Averett University - Nick Price Foundation and Team Molly in Danville, VA
Berea College - Special Olympics of Kentucky
Brevard College - SAFE, a domestic violence shelter in Brevard, North Carolina
Covenant College - GLAD Community Outreach, a tutoring ministry of New City Fellowship Church that caters to elementary children
Greensboro College - Fibrolamellar Liver Cancer Foundation in honor of a former Pride men's lacrosse player
Huntingdon College - Bennetta Carter Family, a Huntingdon employee who lost home and husband in a tragic fire
LaGrange College - Our Daily Bread Soup Kitchen in LaGrange, Georgia
Mary Baldwin University - Staunton, Virginia Valley Mission homeless shelter
Maryville College - The Brittany Johnson Memorial Fund (Ball4Britt) and Toys for Tots 
Meredith College - Special Olympics of North Carolina
Methodist University - The Kay Yow Foundation
N.C. Wesleyan College -  A Touch of the Fathers Love Food Pantry
Piedmont College -  Habersham County, Georgia Humane Society
Salem College - Winston Salem, North Carolina H.O.P.E organization
William Peace University - Vs. Cancer