THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF JUNIOR LEAGUE OF CHARLESTON, INC.
VOLUME 2 NUMBER 3
NO PLACE LIKE HOME THOUSANDS IN THE LOWCOUNTRY FACE THE DESPAIR OF HOMELESSNESS AND HUNGER EVERY DAY
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CATALYST Tricounty Family Ministries: providing food, clothing, support and most importantly, hope
GOODWILL Two childhood friends become "Partners in Philanthropy"
PAY IT FORWARD Abuse is 24/7 and so is Lowcountry Orphan Relief
GROUNDWORK Joining the fight against hunger and homelessness in the Lowcountry Please recycle this publication
Dedicated people. Dedicated energy.
“You tell us having reliable service is a top priority. So, whether a tree limb falls on a line or a big storm hits, it doesn’t matter. We’re out there 24/7 making sure the power stays on. It can be a tough job. But I wouldn’t do anything else.” — Jordan Rosier, SCE&G Lineman
SCE&G is proud to work with the Junior League of Charleston, a catalyst for positive change in our community.
sceg.com
{A FUTURE NO DOORFRAME CAN MEASURE.} With ever-expanding community projects, 60 clubs to join and daily classroom discussions, your child is sure to grow. And with $1,089,000 in financial aid, we can help you make it a reality. Apply today. INVEST IN THEIR LIFETIME.
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CAUSE FROM THE PRESIDENT
VOLUME 2 NUMBER 3
Dear Friends,
Letters to the president about this issue of CAUSE are both accepted and encouraged. If you would like to write the president about this publication or its contents, feel free to submit letters, Attn: CAUSE Letter to the President, by email to causeeditor@jlcharleston. org, or by mail to 51 Folly Road, Charleston, SC 29407.
Many years ago the priest at my church issued a challenge to the congregation. He gave us 365 days to get to know a homeless person: not to give them money, not to buy them a cup of coffee, but to spend genuine time getting to know this person and share in a one-on-one relationship. For many of us sitting in the pews that morning, this was a moving challenge that opened our eyes and raised our awareness in our community. This moment definitely made us look within ourselves as stewards and givers. For me, it was the beginning of a new passion and commitment as well as a search within my heart. We have been gleaning our fields for centuries, setting extra places at our tables through the generations and distributing food to neighborhoods from the back of our trucks for many years. The need keeps growing and the number of needy continues to increase. We need to work together to find ways to reach out and eliminate hunger and homelessness in the Lowcountry. CAUSE is devoted to highlighting our area’s incredible nonprofit community. In this issue we bring to light several inspiring organizations and individuals who share a passion and dedication to the fight against homelessness and hunger. Whether it is a group of men gathering outside a building on Meeting Street, a mother crying in the rain on the side of the highway as she seeks help to feed and shelter her family, or some other catalyst that inspires you to join in this fight, you can make a difference. Our hope is that you will be motivated and inspired to seek out that spark to light the way to your own “cause.”
Junior League of Charleston, Inc. 51 Folly Road, Charleston, SC 29407 Shelley Julian, JLC President Stephanie McDonald, JLC President Elect
CAUSE EDITORS: Mary C. Mitchell, Editor Selena Kaufman, Editor Elizabeth Kelly, Assistant Editor
CAUSE COMMITTEE: Betsy Butler, Clay Gilbert, Kelly Nix, Lisa Marie Womble Rehm, Christy Reid, Katye Rhett, Pendleton Shiflett, Meredith Siemens, Ashley Simons, Catherine Williams
CAUSE EDITORIAL BOARD: Emily Abedon, Charleston Magazine, Contributor Hannah Gillard, JLC Community Project Development Richard Hendry, Coastal Community Foundation,
Vice President of Programs Liane Kerr, JLC Director of Marketing Chris Kerrigan, Trident United Way, President Allison Leggett, JLC Former President Kitty Robinson, JLC Former President and
Historic Charleston Foundation, Executive Director Colleen Troy, Touchpoint Communications Holland Williams, JLC Former President
PUBLISHING & DESIGN BY:
We welcome you to join us.
Shelley Grant Julian President Junior League of Charleston, Inc.
Parkshore Centre 1 Poston Road, Suite 190 Charleston, SC 29407 843-747-0025 Richard Barry, President Warren Darby, VP of Operations Bob Durand, Senior Art Director Ali Lorenzana, Editorial Services Sis Reda, Independent Marketing Representative
Editorial Mission: In carrying out its mission to promote voluntarism and to serve as a catalyst for positive change, the Junior League of Charleston, Inc. is pleased to offer this comprehensive view of our community’s needs, organizations working to meet those needs, businesses and individuals supporting charitable endeavors and opportunities for area residents to get involved and to maximize their volunteer experience.
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For information on advertising opportunities please call Richard Barry at 843-746-2246
Copyright 2009 by the Junior League of Charleston, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieve system, without the express written permission of the Junior League of Charleston, Inc.
Thank you to our 2008 Sponsors Premier Partners • Seven Farms Road, LLC Community Partners • Dixon Hughes, PLLC • Jim ‘n Nick’s • United Smith Dray Line • Uricchio, Howe, Krell, Jacobson, Toporek, Theos & Keith Patron • Charleston County Recycling Center • Holland and Rhys Williams • UNITS Mobile Storage Proceeds from the Whale of a Sale support the Junior League’s current community projects: Boys and Girls Club Reading Soul Mates Program, Children’s Museum of the Lowcountry Free Friday Family Fests, Gibbes Museum of Art Community Days, Louie’s Kids, Lowcountry Food Bank and Ronald McDonald House.
THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF JUNIOR LEAGUE OF CHARLESTON, INC.
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No Place Like Home
Recipe for a Successful Program
B Y C L AY G I L B E R T
BY JANE ROCKINGHAM
Thousands in the Lowcountry face the despair of homelessness and hunger every day. Fortunately, countless organizations are working to help these folks work toward a better life. But in order to solve the problem, the causes of hunger and homelessness must first be understood.
What started as a simple request for additional manpower led to a 13-year commitment, almost $ 200,000 in funding and the establishment of the Saturday Soup Kitchen at Crisis Ministries.
DEPARTMENTS
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Letter from the Junior League President
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Motivated -
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CAUSE for Celebration
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Pay It Forward -
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Glimmer of Hope
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Groundwork -
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Engage - Calendar of Events
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Catalyst Goodwill Breaking the Glass Ceiling
COVER PHOTO: THANKS TO COMMUNITY DONORS, ALL MEN IN THE CRISIS M I N I S T R I E S M E N ’ S S H E LT E R A R E A S S I G N E D T O A B E D E A C H N I G H T. PHOTO PROVIDED BY CRISIS MINISTRIES.
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From Gardening to Gleaning
The Lowcountry Orphan Relief
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invites you to celebrate its
ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY
r a e Y e On
y r a s r e v i n n A
Monday, September 21 to Friday, September, 25, 2009 10AM-6PM 279 King Street, Charleston Pierre Deux extends a special thank you to the Charleston Junior League for making our first year a success. As our merci to you, receive 15% off your purchase and an exclusive anniversary gift.* For more information about the week’s events please call 843.724.5880 or email charleston@pierredeux.com *
Restrictions may apply. Please speak to your sales associate for details.
C A U S E F O R C E L E B R AT I O N
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1. Chris Falatok is a winner at the Charitable Society of Charleston’s bingo night. 2. Stephanie Bates, Jared Bramblett, Jeff Odom, Chris Falatok and Kelli Stahl at bingo night, hosted by the Charitable Society of Charleston.
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3. Networking at the Center for Women’s (CFW) Women in Business Conference. 4. Catching up on the materials at the CFW's Women in Business Conference. 5. Making bids at CFW’s annual “It’s in the Bag” event. 6. Checking out the goods at the CFW's “It’s in the Bag” purse auction.
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7. Gregory Guay and his student, Zachary Chessman, from the Charleston Academy of Music entertain the crowd at the Gibbes Museum’s Community Day in May. 8. Dancing raises the spirits at the annual Greekfest.
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9. Volunteers representing the Lowcountry Orphan Relief (LOR) work at the Hamlin Plantation Club House Estate and Garage Sale. Pictured: Becky Butler, Jody Nesbit, Janice Rhodes, Carol Czarnik (with Hamlin Helping Hands), Susan Lee and Brenda Roberts (with LOR).
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11 10. Lisa Baker, chairperson of Hamlin Helping Hands, gets ready for the Hamlin Plantation Club House Estate and Garage Sale. 11. From left, Sigrid Laughlin and Bev Seinsheimer, co-chairs of MUSC’s 2009 Women’s Heart Health Symposium, which drew more than 450 women to Gaillard Municipal Auditorium on April 25.
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12. Volunteers with Hamlin Helping Hands during the annual “Regift Event”, held every January with the purpose of donating all those unwanted gifts received during the holidays to a good cause. This year's recipients were the Florence Crittenton Program and the Windwood Home for children. The event raised more than $2,500 for the charities.
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13. Mickey Bakst, Emily Cookson (pastry chef) and Michelle Weaver (executive chef) of Charleston Grill collaborate to prepare food for the Tidal Event, benefiting the East Cooper Habitat for Humanity. 14. Charleston Grill's Michelle Weaver putting her final touches on the delectable feast for the Tidal Event. 15. The table is set for the sold-out crowd that attended the Tidal Event which helped the East Cooper Habitat for Humanity raise funding in order to continue their mission of eliminating poverty housing.
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16. The Tides Condominiums on the Charleston Harbor offered an ideal setting for a wonderful evening of art, music, food and fundraising at the Tidal Event. 17. MUSC’s Debbie Browning and Allison Livingston at the 2009 March of Dimes - March for Babies. 18. Sam Skardon, Pat Endel and Thomasena Marshall-Stokes at East Cooper Meals on Wheels’ largest fundraiser, “An Elegant Evening… A Meal to Remember”. 19. Faculty and parents got the party started with a routine choreographed by Kristen Briley of Carolina Fitness at the 2nd annual Make a Splash Bash, benefiting Sullivan’s Island Elementary School.
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If you would like to submit a photograph to CAUSE, please email your high-resolution image with caption to causeeditor@jlcharleston.org with the subject “PHOTO.”
20. Finding brain tumor cures is a new focus of the Medical University of South Carolina because of the $2 million donation by the family of the late local philanthropist Jerry Zucker.
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C ATA LY S T
The Lowcountry’s Glimmer of Hope in a World of Need B Y C AT H E R I N E W I L L I A M S
D
uring one of the coldest days in February, with temperatures near freezing, *Ronald wore only a shirt, light-weight pants and rags wrapped around his feet. Desperately in need of both food and warm clothing, he walked into a small two-story house in North Charleston, home of Tricounty Family Ministries (TFM).
RIGHT: Seeing to the welfare of young children is at the heart of Tricounty Family Ministries’ mission. TFM routinely provides food and clothing for its youngest patrons while motivating older children to rise above their circumstances through the Teen Angel Program.
*Name has been changed.
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As Ronald ate a warm meal, likely his first in days, TFM volunteers gathered new pants, coat, shirt and, most importantly, new shoes for him. When he left that day with a wide smile on his face, the volunteers were reminded once again that no one deserves to go without in a community with so much to share.
Ronald’s story is just one of many the 150+ regular volunteers at TFM hear on a daily basis. Founded in 1983, TFM is a nonprofit, faith-based ministry located in North Charleston which provides clothing, food, medical care and counseling to those most in need in one of the poorest neighborhoods in the area. This location has allowed the organization to become a direct provider for community services in the Tricounty area. “We are strategically located right in the heart of a poverty-stricken area on the bus line. People walk, drive, take the bus or catch a ride with friends to avail themselves of our services,” said Sue Hanshaw, CEO of Tricounty Family Ministries. “There is never a charge other than a kind smile or hug.” Since its founding as a soup kitchen by Lutheran Social Services, the organization has broadened its outreach to meet a multitude of community needs and is currently supported by more than 35 Christian and Jewish congregations throughout the Lowcountry. By channeling over 95 percent of its donations into direct assistance, TFM has managed to provide more than 3.1 million meals within the past 26 years and supplied over 8,000 pieces of clothing to more than 5,000 people within the last year alone. “We are so blessed to be able to make a difference in thousands of lives, which began with just a few – ‘fishes and loaves,’” said Hanshaw. TFM has also been able to provide financial assistance to cover shortterm expenses for families through the Community Need Assistance
Program, provide classes for at-risk youth through the Teen Angel Program, and teach families key life skills and the roadmap to becoming financially independent through the Families in Transition Program. TFM has also formed partnerships with other local agencies as a means to efficiently link existing community resources with those in need. TFM
consistently refers clients to Goodwill, DHEC, local health service providers, job training programs and shelters. Although many of the programs offered through TFM are partially sponsored by organizations such as the Trident United Way, TFM is constantly in need of volunteers to provide lunches three days a week, collect clothing and food, provide tutoring
services for youth and provide general repair/construction or computer skills. “Our dedicated volunteers are the heartbeat of our ministry, serving day-in and day-out with compassion,� said Hanshaw. For the past two decades, TFM has been impacting thousands of lives in the Lowcountry, one person at a time.
BOTTOM LEFT: Approximately 500 people from the North Charleston area joined Tricounty Family Ministries for a free barbeque lunch sponsored by the Charleston Chefs Feed the Need campaign. Lunch was provided by locally-owned Tidewater Catering and consisted of barbecue pork, beans, cole slaw, iced tea, a roll and banana pudding.
For more information on TFM, please visit
www.tricountyfamilyministries.org. To find out how you can contribute and for a list of items of which TFM is in constant need, please see Groundwork on page 25.
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LEFT: Tricounty Family Ministries offers free hot lunches to local residents three times a week. Since opening the soup kitchen operation in 1983, TFM has provided well over 2.5 million hot meals at the center, delivered to homebound residents and given to families through its food pantry.
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GOODWILL
Breaking the Glass Ceiling BY SELENA KAUFMAN
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RIGHT: From left, Jack and Penny Hoey and Paula and Paul Heinauer at the Pittsburgh Steelers-themed surprise 50th birthday party and fundraiser for Crisis Ministries.
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verything is better when you can share it with a friend. Two Charleston men have proven that having a “partner in philanthropy” will not only benefit one’s own life, but local organizations as well. The story starts 39 years ago in Pittsburgh, Penn., when Jack Hoey and Paul Heinauer sat next to each other in seventh-period study hall. The connection made between these two young boys has never been broken. Jack and Paul were each other’s best man in their weddings, they have been business partners, and they each have a passion for giving back to the community. Hoey is the owner of Coastal Glass Distributors, an architectural glass fabricating company, and Heinauer is the owner of Glasspro, an auto glass replacement and repair company. Heinauer moved to Charleston in 1986 and opened Coastal Glass Distributors. He asked his best friend, Hoey, to be chief operating officer. Almost 10 years later, in 1995, they decided to branch out. Both men knew they wanted to give back to the community but were struggling to find where, specifically, and how to do so. Heinauer then discovered the Coastal Community Foundation (CCF). Together the two friends met with the foundation, and thus their big philanthropic efforts began. “Among other things, we have the freedom to challenge each other, to spur each other on and share ideas.
OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF JUNIOR LEAGUE OF CHARLESTON, INC.
We explore together and learn from each other,” said Hoey, who is a former board chair and current board member for Crisis Ministries. Growing up, Hoey’s mother was an inspiration to him by helping a blind woman in their neighborhood. Each week, she would give up one whole day to help the woman shop, write letters or do whatever she needed. It wasn’t until the day he accompanied his mother that he realized how much
of a difference she was making in this elderly woman’s life. “It’s nothing my mother ever even told anyone she was doing. But what an impact she made on that woman!” Hoey said. Heinauer was also inspired by his mother. She cleaned houses while his father’s job provided less than $10,000 per year. During the growing season, his mother would sell strawberries and apples. “No matter how much you paid for, you’d always get extra.
You pay for a pint; you’d get a pint and a half,” Heinauer said. Hoey encourages his employees at Coastal Glass Distributors to get involved in volunteering every month when they prepare and serve a meal at Crisis Ministries. “It’s been an experience that changes the way you think,” said Hoey. “This is something that can happen to anyone; the most rewarding part is knowing you made a difference and are learning and growing with people around you.” Crisis Ministries isn’t the only organization these two best friends help support. And they are not alone in their efforts; it’s more like a family affair. Heinauer’s wife, Paula, is chairman of the board of the Carolina Lowcountry Chapter of the American Red Cross. As a couple, the Heinauers are very involved with Water Missions International and Our Lady of Mercy Community Outreach. Hoey’s wife, Penny, is a cancer survivor and is chair of the Citizens Advisory Board for Hollings Cancer Center. To Hoey, helping organizations that fight homelessness, hunger and health crises is so important because of what is accomplished through “helping people up, helping people move on; teaching people to ‘fish.’” Heinauer said it is often hard to know the scope of the need because so many people are being helped on a daily basis “under the radar.” “It’s better to give than to receive,” said Heinauer, and this is clearly a motto by which these two men live. So much so that when their wives threw
them a joint, Pittsburgh Steelersthemed surprise 50th birthday party two years ago, it doubled as a fundraiser for Crisis Ministries. The party raised more than $17,000 and was the first donation to the newly-opened transitional living center for families. No matter the need, these two lifelong friends found something else they can do together. “I have received more than I have given,” said Hoey. “We have shared so many things throughout the years and we understand how blessed we are: friendship, platform in business and blessed to be able to give,” said Heinauer. Hoey once heard someone say, “The quality of the community is determined by how they treat their
most vulnerable members.” In his eyes, this statement says a lot about Charleston. Crisis Ministries is able to offer so many services because of the public support they receive. Even though neither Hoey nor Heinauer will say it, citizens like them keep the community support running. Two boys from Pittsburgh who have made Charleston their new hometown and are making a difference, yet expect nothing in return. And when asked what message they would like the community to know, Hoey had a call to action: “A lot of people don’t think they have anything to give; we all have a lot to give.”
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TOP: Paul Heinauer and Jack Hoey visit their childhood home of Pittsburgh, PA at Point State Park where all three rivers in Pittsburgh meet. BOTTOM: Paul Heinauer participated in this advertisement for Crisis Ministries six years ago.
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Harvey Brown
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fter serving two tours in the Persian Gulf War, Harvey Brown came back to the States tired, disconnected and looking for work. In 2005, a medical condition he had developed in the Gulf precluded him from continuing his job as a truck driver. He lost his career and spiraled into a deep depression. Sitting on a hotel bed with a gun to his temple, Harvey pulled the trigger. Each year, more than half of a million veterans experience homelessness. Many become depressed and turn to drugs or alcohol. Some resort to taking their own life. Thankfully, Harvey was not one of those veterans. Almost ending his life gave him a wake-up call, and he knew he needed to get help.
no place like B Y C L AY G I L B E R T
Fighting Hunger and Homelessness in
OUR LOWCOUNTRY Like Harvey, thousands in the Lowcountry face the despair of homelessness and hunger every day. And they’re not just veterans. Men, women and children are finding themselves in desperate situations. Fortunately, countless organizations are working to help these folks work toward a better life. But in order to solve the problem, the causes of hunger and homelessness must first be understood.
P H O T O I L L U S T R AT I O N B Y B O B D U R A N D J R .
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What does it mean to be “homeless?” According to Becky Van Wie of the Lowcountry Continuum of Care Partnership (LCOC), this is not a simple question to answer. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has one of the most restrictive definitions, which was recently expanded. Its existing definition of homelessness includes people who are: • Living in places not meant for human habitation (the streets, abandoned buildings, etc.) • Living in an emergency shelter or transitional housing facility • Facing the loss of housing within the next seven days with no other place to go and no resources or support networks to obtain housing New legislation has expanded HUD’s definition to add people who are: • At imminent risk of homelessness (expands seven days above to 14 days) • Living unstably (includes four qualifications which must be met)
CLOCKWISE FROM ABOVE: 1. Many veterans turn to Crisis Ministries for help after returning from war. 2. Women and children are the fastest growing segment of the homeless population. 3. Each guest in the Men’s Shelter gets a locker in which to store his belongings. Photos provided by Crisis Ministries
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What is the current situation in the Lowcountry? Van Wie said that homelessness has increased over the last 20-25 years largely because of the growing shortage of affordable housing and rising poverty rates. Other contributing factors include the lack of affordable healthcare, domestic violence, mental illness and addiction disorders. Nearly 2,400 people are projected to be homeless on any given day in the LCOC’s seven-county service area, added Van Wie. “The present recession only serves to make matters worse,” she said. “Providers are reporting a 30-40 percent increase in requests for assistance in the last eight months.” Miriam Coombes of the Lowcountry Food Bank (LCFB) has seen similar increases. “Throughout our entire 10county coastal service area, we have seen a 36 percent increase in the need for food assistance,” Coombes said. There are 52,903 persons (15 percent) living below poverty in Charleston County, she added, and more than 22,000 children in Charleston County are on free or reduced lunch.
One factor contributing to homelessness and hunger is unemployment. In April 2009, South Carolina’s unemployment rate was 11.5 percent, the third highest rate in the nation and the highest rate since 1983. In the Lowcountry, the unemployment rate ranged from 7.8 percent in Charleston County to 15.9 percent in Hampton County. The lack of affordable housing is also a contributing factor. Van Wie explained that an annual income of $31,480 or wages of $15.13/hour are required to afford fair market rent on a two-bedroom apartment. With minimum wage at $7.25/hour, a person would have to work 83.5 hours per week or 2.1 full-time jobs to afford housing in the Charleston MSA (Metropolitan Statistical Area). “We are currently seeing people come through our food pantries that have never utilized or thought about needing food assistance before,” added Jermaine Husser, executive director of the LCFB. “Many of these ‘new’ clients have lost a well-paying job (living wage), fallen into foreclosure and watched their retirement funds disappear right before their very eyes.” Husser said this has caused many clients to have to make tough choices between food and some of the basic necessities in life, such as utilities, housing and water. What is being done to help the homeless and the hungry? Countless organizations, both large and small, are working every day to help our area’s homeless and hungry. In 1995, the LCOC was founded in response to the availability of HUD’s Continuum of Care grant for homeless housing and services. Since this funding was not available to individual agencies, but only to coalitions of providers, this Charleston-based group was organized in order to bring this new funding to the Lowcountry area. The mission of the LCOC is to plan, develop and implement comprehensive and coordinated strategies to address homelessness. In serving as the lead homeless agency for the area, the LCOC works toward its vision that
every person be appropriately, safely and decently housed in our communities. Its service area is comprised of Beaufort, Berkeley, Charleston, Colleton, Dorchester, Hampton and Jasper Counties. The LCOC works with a number of agencies that are providing housing and services funded through the HUD Continuum of Care grant, including Carolina Youth Development Center, Crisis Ministries, Florence Crittenton Programs of South Carolina, Family Services, Charleston County Human Services Commission, City of Charleston Housing Authority and ACCESS Network. “Our coalition includes some 40 other organizations that are either providing homeless services directly or have an interest in this cause,” added Van Wie. Stacey Denaux of Crisis Ministries said her organization’s goal is to end homelessness; to alleviate the reasons why people become homeless in the first place. “We view the shelter as a temporary stop on the journey to self sufficiency,” Denaux said. Crisis Ministries offers both a men’s shelter and a family shelter, among its many programs. Most guests of the family shelter are women and children; however as South Carolina’s only shelter that allows married parents to stay with their children, the Family Center also shelters fathers. Denaux said Crisis Ministries has seen an increase in families over the last year, and she explained that many of their guests have physical or mental disabilities or are suffering from substance abuse. She also added that many of their guests are veterans. One organization working specifically to help these veterans is Goodwill Industries of Lower South Carolina, which also assists area homeless with clothing vouchers. Jennifer Oldal of Goodwill explained that partnering agencies, including Crisis Ministries, the Red Cross, CHEP (Chesapeake Health Education Program) and others, are able to request vouchers for individuals who are struggling or homeless. These individuals are able to redeem the vouchers at any Goodwill store for
free clothing. “Last year, Goodwill issued 5,793 vouchers and gave away almost $300,000 worth of clothing to struggling or homeless individuals,” Oldal said. (To read more about ways Goodwill is helping homeless veterans in our area, please see the sidebar.) And it’s not just the homeless who are being cared for and assisted. The Lowcountry Food Bank is one of many organizations working to fight hunger, and it has several programs geared especially toward childhood hunger. Kids Cafe is an after-school feeding program that provides students with hot, nutritious meals and academic assistance, said Coombes. Another program, Backpack Buddies, is designed to attack the issue of weekend hunger by distributing healthy, ready-to-eat meals and snacks to children every Friday. To learn more about organizations working to fight hunger and homelessness in the Charleston area, continue reading throughout this issue of CAUSE. Thankfully, these organizations are making a big difference. Harvey Brown turned to Goodwill’s “Operation Independence,” an empowerment program for veterans that provides training and support services. He has been in recovery for more than two years and is working toward a degree in business from Southern Wesleyan University. He spends his free time helping veterans and others in his community regain their self sufficiency through a hand-up.
To find more information or volunteer to help fight the hunger and homelessness epidemic in the Lowcountry, please see Groundwork on page 24.
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HELPING HOMELESS VETERANS Charleston has a rich military history dating back to its founding. Sadly, many veterans in our area experience homelessness each year. Stacey Denaux of Crisis Ministries is seeing an increase in veterans needing assistance, due largely to the length of our nation’s current wars which has caused resources to run thin. Crisis Ministries has developed a strong partnership with the VA Hospital through both a men’s and women’s program designed to help these veterans. In addition, the VA Hospital partners with Goodwill Industries of Lower South Carolina to host a two-day “Stand Down” which provides homeless veterans with free products and resources to help get them back on their feet. The event provides individuals with an opportunity to learn about employment in the area, medical and dental care and benefits available to veterans and their families; presents people with the chance to register to vote; allows people to shop for free clothing and blankets; feeds more than 3,000 meals for breakfast and dinner; and offers haircuts to those who may not be able to afford that service. In addition, participants receive food and hygiene packets while at the event. The goal is to reach out to as many homeless veterans and their families as possible in order to assist them in becoming self-sufficient. “Operation Independence” is another Goodwill program designed to provide homeless veterans with job training and development to help them succeed in the civilian sector. Veterans who qualify for the program receive housing assistance, occupational, classroom and on-the-job training, as well as job search and employment placement assistance, including follow-up services. The program is funded through a grant from the U.S. Labor Department for the Homeless Veterans Reintegration Program. For more information, please visit www.palmettogoodwill.org.
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M OT I VAT E D
From Gardening to Gleaning: How One Lowcountry Woman Set Out To Make Some Changes BY LISA MARIE WOMBLE REHM AND MARY C. MITCHELL
M DID YOU KNOW The roots of "gleaning" go back to when ancient communities would require farmers to refrain from reaping all the way to the edges of a field so as to leave some for the poor and for strangers? This is why the term "glean" means "the act of collecting leftover crops from farmers' fields after they have been commercially harvested." In the modern world, gleaning is practiced by humanitarian groups that distribute the gleaned food to the poor and hungry. Fields to Families is emulating those early gleaners!
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any people assume all produce that is edible gets picked and finds its way to grocery store shelves. Unfortunately, this is not the case. Each year, millions of pounds of perfectly edible, locally grown fruits and vegetables are left in the fields to be driven back into the ground to become fertilizer. This leftover produce may not get harvested for a variety of reasons. Many times it is left behind for cosmetic reasons. Farmers need consumers to buy the fruits and vegetables they’re selling, and the market demands unblemished, aesthetically pleasing produce. Other reasons are if the produce has grown too large for its packaging, overproduction or dwindling market prices. The Environmental Protection Agency estimates that the United States produces 26 million tons of food waste each year. The USDA estimates 25 to 30 percent of all food crops are left in the fields after harvest. But why is hunger such a problem in the United States? After all, we have this abundant supply of wasted food. In 2007, the USDA reported that 36.2 million people, including 12.4 million children were considered to be “food insecure”, or lacking the basic food intake needed to provide the energy and nutrients required to lead fully productive lives. Furthermore, South Carolina consistently ranks in the top five states for food insecurity. Programs like food stamps, school meals and other emergency food resources help provide a safety net for
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those who can’t afford food in the U.S. However, money stretches best when used to buy packaged, canned and calorie-dense foods versus the fruits and vegetables necessary for a healthy diet. So, while starvation rarely occurs in the U.S., malnutrition frequently does. In turn, unmet nutritional needs affect children’s ability to develop and learn, adults’ ability to work and seniors’ ability to stay healthy and ultimately prevent the food-insecure from leading a healthy, active life. Essentially, our nation’s hungry may eat, but it’s what they may not eat that truly counts. Thankfully for the Lowcountry, a woman named Jacki Baer took notice of this problem and set out to help solve it. Jacki Baer moved to Charleston from Albany, New York, in 1989 with
her late husband Richard. A lifelong gardener, she quickly became a member of the Charleston County Master Gardeners program. There, she got involved with a local food-rescue organization that connected individuals with excess produce from their home gardens to needy people in the community. Years later, while collecting food for an area nonprofit at a local farmers market, Baer was approached by a stranger. “Where were you when I needed you?" he asked. "They (a local soup kitchen) filled my stomach, but I ate canned food, boxed food - stuff that was not fresh." His question was all it took for her to realize that the lack of access the Lowcountry’s hungry had to nutritious food and the amount of wasted produce in the area needed to be addressed on a much larger scale. Along with eight other community members, Baer established Fields to Families to do just that. Fields to Families, founded in 2006, is a Charleston-based nonprofit organization whose mission is two-fold: to help the Lowcountry food-insecure gain access to nutritious food at no cost and to reduce the amount of waste from leftover food crops in the area. "It just killed me to think this produce would be turned under. There is such a need out there," Baer said. As director of Fields to Families, Baer sees to the organization’s day-today operations. When a local farm, farmer’s market or other food supplier has leftover produce, Baer will assem-
ble a team of volunteers to gather the leftover fruits and vegetables, a process known as gleaning. The volunteers then distribute the gleaned produce to soup kitchens, shelters, churches, Meals on Wheels and emergency food pantries across the tricounty area that had previously served mostly canned or boxed food. Starting with a small group of volunteers and a lot of time spent by Baer recruiting, Fields to Families has developed into a well-organized, highly motivated group of roughly 300 registered volunteers. “We still have enough things to do for double that number,” Baer said. While its list of volunteers has grown, so have its partnerships with local farms and food suppliers. The 750-acre Boone Hall Farms in Mount Pleasant is one such partner site, which utilizes about 15 volunteer harvesters each week. Currently, Fields to Families has more than 30 local farms and food suppliers involved in its efforts to rescue food that would otherwise be wasted or plowed into the ground. Their donations are given to more than 20 recipient agencies that collaborate to help feed the hungry. In 2007, after its first full year in operation, Fields to Families had distributed 43,000 pounds of fresh fruits and vegetables, which is equivalent to more than 34,000 meals. In 2008, it distributed 82,400 pounds of fresh produce, or 66,000 meals. In the two years since it was founded, Fields to Families has provided 125,000 pounds of rescued food, equaling 100,000 healthy meals, all free of charge, to the community’s food-insecure. Whether it is gleaning a field for leftover produce, working information booths at local farmers’ markets or delivering produce to local soup kitchens, Fields to Families volunteers truly get a hands-on experience. Volunteer Michelle Pollak first became involved with the organization because it was a simple, direct way for her to give back while doing something active outdoors. “Physically picking food that people would later eat makes the work worth it in the end,” Pollak added. In addition to gleaning, Fields to Family has implemented an outreach program which gives volunteers the opportunity to design and create presentations on nutrition and health and present them to local schools and public facilities that are accessible to the needy. Thanks to Baer and those who helped build Fields to Families into what it is today, two crucial needs are being met in the Lowcountry. The food-insecure of all ages have gained access to the fruits and vegetables they need to lead healthy, active lives and the amount of wasted fresh, locally grown produce has been reduced tremendously. A very humble Baer said she is “just an ordinary person doing the best she can to make the world a better place for all.” Clearly, with the significant amount it has accomplished and the driving force behind it, both Fields to Families and Jacki Baer are nothing less than extraordinary.
For more information on how to volunteer with Fields to Families, see Groundwork on page 24. For a complete list of partners, please visit www.fieldstofamilies.org.
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The Lowcountry Orphan Relief BY PENDLETON SHIFLETT
A
Charlie the Riverdog is a favorite guest at Lowcountry Orphan Relief special events for children.
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father and daughter pulled up to a Charleston area convenience store and saw a book bag on the ground next to a dumpster that appeared to be moving. Thinking she would find kittens or puppies inside, the daughter excitedly asked if they could get it. The father bent down to open the bag and found, to his alarm, a newborn baby girl still breathing. The infant was immediately taken to the hospital and put into the Department of Social Services (DSS) system where she was assigned a guardian ad litem, a court-appointed volunteer that represents and protects the interests of abandoned, abused and neglected children. For months, the guardian searched for the birth parents and solicited for a family member with no luck. Eventually, the little girl was taken into a wonderful foster home and was soon adopted by the foster parents. Lynn Young was that appointed guardian, and cases like the “book bag” baby are not uncommon in her experience. Whether it was with siblings who were brutally assaulted by a family member or children whose parents dropped them off at shelters, Young has gone to great lengths to ensure the children’s best interests are represented. Young also noticed a critical lack of continuing support for these children who, for whatever reason, had been entered into the child welfare system. In many cases, when children left or were taken from their homes, they did not or could not bring anything with
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them but the clothes on their backs. “Often times, these children are literally taken from their homes in the middle of the night by DSS and are placed in an emergency shelter,” stated Young. “They typically leave without their personal belongings - no clothing, toiletries, school supplies, toys or favorite stuffed animals.” A guardian ad litem investigates cases of child abandonment, neglect and abuse and speaks on their behalf in court. Under no circumstance are they permitted to give the children any items. As a mother of three, Young found this to be the most difficult part of the job. She felt she had to do something and in July of 2003 formed the nonprofit Lowcountry Orphan Relief, Inc. (LOR), an organization that would provide the basic necessities of clothing, toiletries and toys for children in all parts of the DSS system, within 48 hours of leaving their original home. Getting its start on the back porch of her downtown Charleston home, what Young initially thought would be a small nonprofit service has grown into the largest and one of the only organizations of its kind in the tri-county area. Currently, LOR services the needs of 2,900 children from Dorchester, Berkeley and Charleston counties, ranging in age from birth to 18 years. It operates solely with volunteers, and 95 percent of all monies raised go directly to providing for the needs of the children. As the demand for LOR has increased over the years, so has its need for more space. Within two years
of its start, LOR outgrew Young’s porch, then a 10’x10’ storage shed, then the corner of a warehouse in Mount Pleasant. Its current headquarters consist of two homes that have been converted into storage and office space in Noisette at the Navy Yard, the former Naval Base in North Charleston located off of I-26. “The community has been wonderful to us and has really taken us in,” Young said. However, the Social Services system, including emergency shelters and foster homes, is facing overcapacity. “The number of children we service has grown by nearly 1,000 since the beginning of 2008,” Young said. Now, more than ever, LOR is in need of support through volunteers or donations. In addition to providing personal items, LOR also holds annual events allowing foster, orphaned and abandoned children the opportunity to enjoy themselves. Each summer, LOR hosts “Beach Day” on Folly Beach, where the shelter’s children can have a fun-filled day of swimming, sand castle-building and kite flying. “A lot of these kids haven’t been to the beach, haven’t flown a kite,” expressed Young. “It’s amazing to see them enjoying themselves in the midst of such an unfortunate social situation.” Each fall, LOR hosts “Make a Child Happy Day” where both children and adults can partake in hayrides, bobbing for apples, dunking booths, sports games and much more. Young is grateful for the corporate donors that make this day possible each year.
For detailed information on ways to support or volunteer with Lowcountry Orphan Relief, please see Groundwork on page 25.
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FLY with LOR The newly established Frances Lynn Young Guild (FLY) is a volunteer organization of women committed to supporting and promoting the mission of LOR through the service, education and fundraising efforts of its members. Membership is open to women, 25 years and older, who are in accord with the mission of the Guild. The first General Membership Meeting is scheduled for September 17, 2009 at 6:30 PM at the Charleston Marriott on Lockwood Blvd. For more information on FLY, please contact Tanya Deke at dekefive@aol.com, (843) 697-2956 or visit the “Guild� page at www.lowcountryorphanrelief.org.
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In 2010, LOR will hold its largest community event to date, a “Mad Hatter Tea,� in downtown Charleston to raise awareness about child abuse and neglect. Not a fundraiser, the Mad Hatter Tea will instead be a large community event that all area children and parents are invited to attend. Some of the planned entertainment for the event includes storytelling sessions held by local children’s book authors, a puppet show and appearances by favorite storybook characters. The public can volunteer at these events after having the necessary background checks. LOR works closely with child protective agencies and, for safety reasons, requires all volunteers that work directly with the children to complete a background check. “What I really want to get out there,� said Young, “is that most of our children are not from the stereotypical low-income background. They’re from downtown Charleston, from suburban neighborhoods in Mount Pleasant. This is a widespread issue that must be addressed now.� Young still volunteers as a guardian ad litem and closely follows the progress of each child she has represented. Three years after the “book bag� baby was legally adopted by her foster parents, she received an invitation to attend the precious little girl’s Christening. “It’s the moments like this that make all the hard work worthwhile and motivate me each day to keep this fight going against child abuse, abandonment and neglect,� Young exclaimed. Lynn Young has certainly been an inspiration for those with whom she has worked as well as for the children she has reached. Though, she finds inspiration in the staff and volunteers of LOR who continue to give faithfully in both time and resources. “Their commitment, passion, love and great attitude make me feel as if we could take care of the world together,� she added. Lowcountry Orphan Relief has and will continue to provide children in need with support and, most importantly, love. To learn more about LOR, please visit www.lowcountryorphanrelief.org.
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In the early 1990s, volunteers from St. Matthews Lutheran Church turned to the Junior League of Charleston for help in assisting Interfaith Crisis Ministries in feeding Charleston’s homeless population. What started as a simple request for additional manpower led to a 13-year commitment, almost $200,000 in funding and the establishment of the Saturday Soup Kitchen (SSK) at Crisis Ministries.
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“It quickly became apparent that occasionally picking up the soup ladle was not enough if we really wanted make a difference in the lives of the homeless,” said Robin Brothers, the first chair of the League’s Saturday Soup Kitchen project. “There was a much larger, growing problem that needed to be addressed.” Up until this time, people who found themselves without a home were generally the victims of a one-time housing emergency such as a fire or hazardous living conditions. In the 1990s, however, the face of homelessness changed from an emergency housing problem to one of sustained poverty. Even more concerning was the indication that homelessness was emerging as a repetitive cycle. Adults in the shelters often had parents or adult children who were homeless as well. Additionally, many women raised in foster care were aging-out into homeless shelters. “A crucial component of Crisis Ministries is their Up and Out program. The program addresses the root causes of homelessness and offers services such as health and mental health care, substance abuse counseling and career counseling,” Brothers said. “We felt that by putting our resources towards feeding the homeless, it would allow Crisis Ministries to put its resources towards providing the shelter residents the services they needed to get back on track.” In 1993, the Junior League opened the Saturday Soup Kitchen with Crisis Ministries and every third Saturday from September to May, League volunteers cooked for 250 people. The League gave $10,500 to cover the costs of a weekend director, custodian and supplies. Volunteers from primarily area churches staffed the kitchen on the remaining weekends.
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To many League members, the Saturday Soup Kitchen project was one of their most rewarding volunteer experiences. “Every time I left Crisis Ministries, I thanked God for all He has given me: including my family, my friends, a roof over my head and abundant food on the table. I am blessed to lead a life where I can work to serve others,” said Carol Killough, League volunteer and former SSK chair. “Serving at Crisis Ministries provided me not only an opportunity to serve my community, it gave me an opportunity to pause and examine my own life. Serving at Crisis Ministries is a humbling experience, which causes you to be thankful for all that you have.” The Junior League’s support of the project has increased over the years, in both funding and volunteers. When it became apparent that there were enough financial resources and volunteers outside of the League to sustain the Saturday Soup Kitchen operations, the League handed the operation of the soup kitchen over to Crisis Ministries. “The goal of the League’s community service is to address a need, put sustainable resources in place to meet the need and then turn the project over to our community partner,” said Liane Ziel, former chair of the League’s Community Project Development committee. “In essence, we try to put ourselves out of business. When that happens, we consider it a great success.”
“The volunteer model that the League developed for the program is still in place today,” according to Stacey Denaux, executive director of Crisis Ministries. “League volunteers had it down to a science – six pans of protein, eight pans of vegetables, three pots of soup, six pans of carbohydrates, four bowls of salad, eight trays of bread and six trays of dessert will feed 250 people lunch.” “One of the challenges was converting recipes into commercial quantities,” said Clarissa McKenzie, former SSK chair for the League. “Another test was to create a menu based on whatever food was in stock and readily available. We were never sure what to expect, so we really had to tap into our culinary creativity.” McKenzie added, “I never realized there were so many ways to prepare canned corn!” “We welcome volunteers on Saturdays and any other day of the week,” said Denaux. “We have evolved from a volunteer-driven shelter offering warm meals to the needy into a full-service agency providing comprehensive services to families and individuals in order to end their homelessness. Unfortunately, homelessness is on the rise again, and our resources aren’t meeting the demands. Our needs range from financial support to volunteers, as well as donations of canned or packaged food.” Crisis Ministries is located at 573 Meeting Street in downtown Charleston. There are several ways in which to get involved such as financial contributions that allow the shelter to continue operations to serve those in need, donating personal hygiene items and donating canned or packaged food goods and healthy powdered drink mixes. For more information on how to get involved, please see Groundwork on page 24 To learn more about Crisis Ministries and the valuable services they provide those in our community who are at their most vulnerable, please visit www.crisisministries.org.
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Crisis Ministries
GROUNDWORK
Mission: To provide food, shelter and hope to end homelessness and hunger one person at a time, one family at a time. How Can I help? Immediate needs include:
ACT NOW!
• Volunteer groups to provide meals, medical professionals and individuals and groups interested in providing special activities for children • Personal hygiene items, canned or packaged food goods and healthy powdered drink mixes
Ongoing needs include:
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his issue of CAUSE has merely touched on the prevalence of hunger and homelessness in the Lowcountry and some of the extraordinary organizations working to help end it. Although these organizations and the people behind them are making great strides towards solving the problem, they cannot do it alone. Ending hunger and homelessness in the Charleston area depends on the volunteer work and contributions from individuals in our community. Whether donating your time or resources, there are as many ways you can join in the fight as there are needs to be met. Each and every action brings us one step closer to ending hunger and homelessness. Please take the time to consider what talent, treasure or time you have to donate and join in the improving the Lowcountry. The organizations covered throughout this issue are listed below along with more information on how to help support their efforts in combating hunger and homelessness in the Lowcountry.
Goodwill Industries Mission: Goodwill Industries of Lower South Carolina helps people achieve their full potential through the dignity and power of work by offering job training, career coaching and other employment programs and services. How Can I Help? • Donate your time and volunteer to work as a donor processor, patron greeter/bagger, special events assistant, clerical assistant or retail assistant • Consider donating financially or visit them online to learn more about more opportunities
Where Can I Learn More? Website: www.palmettogoodwill.org Phone: (843) 566-0072 Address: 2150 Eagle Drive, Bldg. 100, North Charleston, SC 29405
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• Financial donations, food and donation drives and fundraising drives • Volunteer to cook and serve lunch with staff at the Soup Kitchen (individual or group) • Buy, cook and serve breakfast and dinner for our Family Center and Men’s Shelter (group of 4-8) • Help with pick-up and drop-off of donations in Food and Rescue Truck
Where Can I Learn More? Website: www.crisisministries.org Contact: Brad Cashman, Volunteer Coordinator Phone: (843) 723-9477, ext. 124 Address: 573 Meeting Street, Charleston, SC 29403
Fields to Families Mission: To improve the nutrition of hungry citizens and to help reduce the amount of food waste in the Lowcountry. How Can I help? • Help harvest fruits and vegetables at one of the participating farms • Distribute produce to recipient agencies • Have more tomatoes than you know what to do with? Call Fields to Families to pick up and get them to those in need • Plant extra vegetables, fruit and herbs in your personal garden or designate an area in your community garden to donate • Help plan and participate in local events or contribute to its health and nutrition programs • Tend a booth at one of the farmers’ markets to help spread the word • Donate financially online or by mail
Where Can I Learn More? Website: www.fieldstofamilies.org Phone: (843) 388-2487 Email: info@fieldstofamilies.org Address: 222 W. Coleman Blvd., Mt. Pleasant, SC 29464
Lowcountry Continuum of Care Partnership (LCOC) Mission: To plan, develop and implement comprehensive and coordinated strategies to address homelessness. How Can I help? • Volunteer your time: Volunteers are needed to assist with committees and local community groups • Donate items: Many of the nonprofit agencies that participate in the Continuum need contributions of items such as food, clothing, furniture and household items • Donate financially: All contributions are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law
Where Can I Learn More? Website: www.lowcountrycoc.org Contact: Becky Van Wie Phone: (843) 270-4613 Address: 270 North Shelmore Blvd., Mt. Pleasant, SC 29464
Tricounty Family Ministries (TFM) Mission: To offer a safe, compassionate and inviting place for the less fortunate in the tri-county area. How Can I help? Constant needs include: • Food Items: Canned meat, vegetables and fruit, peanut butter • Clothing Items: Men’s and women’s shoes (size 9+), new underwear, men’s pants in smaller sizes (jeans in size 30x31), women’s clothing in plus sizes (pants size 14+) • Volunteers: In-house “chefs” willing to prepare lunches, data entry or it specialists, professionals such as Attorneys and CPA’s willing to provide their services on-site • Wish List: New delivery van, new computer equipment, Raiser’s Edge fundraising software for non-profit organizations, retail space for a thrift store, donated facility for our center, apartments or homes for at-risk families
Where Can I Learn More? Website: www.tricountyfamilyministries.org Phone: (843) 747-1788 Email: tricountyfamilyministries@comcast.net Address: 3349 Rivers Avenue, North Charleston, SC 29405
Trident United Way’s 211 A searchable database of agencies and programs addressing homelessness and hunger in the tri-county area. Dial 211 from any phone or visit www.tuw.org/211.
Lowcountry Orphan Relief (LOR) Mission: To provide services and aid to abandoned, abused, and neglected children in the Charleston area to specifically intervene were Government aid ends. How Can I Help? • LOR is in constant need of new children's items such as: • Toiletries, clothing (including jackets, underwear, socks), books, book bags and school supplies • Visit them online and go to “Immediate Needs” for the a list of items currently in need of • Volunteer your time at LOR’s Children’s Closet to help sort donations and fill orders • A great place for families, youth groups, sports teams and more to get involved • Having a birthday party? Ask your guests, young or adult, to bring gifts for abused children to donate to LOR • Organize a book, clothing, school supply or toiletries drive at your church, school, neighborhood or business • Participate in one of the children’s events hosted by LOR • A background check and consent form must be filled out to work directly with the children.The process can take 6-8 weeks to get approved, so plan early! • Make a donation online
To learn more about hunger and homelessness and for additional ways to get involved, check out the following online resources:
Where Can I Learn More? Website: www.lowcountryorphanrelief.org Contact: Cathy Keagy Phone: (843) 747-4099 Email: cathy@clf1670.org Address: P.O. Box 1074, Charleston, South Carolina 29402
Lowcountry Food Bank Mission: To feed the poor and hungry of the ten coastal counties of South Carolina by soliciting and distributing food and grocery products to nonprofit agencies serving the poor and to educate the public about the problems of and solutions to domestic hunger. How Can I help? • Sort or repackage food for use at food pantries, soup kitchens and other hunger-relief programs • Organize a food drive or a fundraiser for the Lowcountry Food Bank • Conduct a learning-service project with a youth group to teach them about hunger issues • Donate food, time or financially
Where Can I Learn More? Website: www.lowcountryfoodbank.org Contact: Ilze Visocka Phone: (843) 747-8146 Address: 2864 Azalea Drive, North Charleston, SC 29405
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www.feedingamerica.org Learn more ways to get involved in hunger-relief on both a local and national level and locate additional food banks in our community. www.nationalhomeless.org The website of the National Coalition for the Homeless offers great resources and information on the causes and prevention of homelessness. www.volunteermatch.org Search for additional volunteer opportunities in our local community.
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ENGAGE
Calendar of Events AUGUST 2009
SEPTEMBER 2009
August 2-28
September 11
Darkness to Light Prevent-a-thon Times vary
Trident United Way’s Day of Caring 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
BENEFITS: DARKNESS TO LIGHT The 4th annual Prevent-a-thon, hosted by Darkness to Light, will provide trainings offered in partnership with local businesses to thousands of Charleston-area parents and youth-serving organizations on how to prevent, recognize and respond to child sexual abuse.
BENEFITS: NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS AND SCHOOLS THROUGHOUT BERKELEY, CHARLESTON AND DORCHESTER COUNTIES The Trident United Way’s Day of Caring in the Lowcountry is the largest in the nation, with 5,500 volunteers contributing more than $1 million worth of labor and supplies to area charities. Build, landscape, paint, clean, read to kids, care for animals, have a blast. Visit www.tuw.org to sign up for your project of choice as either a group or as an individual. Advance sign up is recommended for groups.
LOCATION: Locations throughout Charleston COST: Free CONTACT: www.preventathon.org
LOCATION: Participate in one of the 250 projects located across three counties COST: Free
August 8 & August 22
CONTACT: www.tuw.org or call Sally Burnett at (843) 740-9000 ext.259
Reggae Nights Evening Concert Series 8:30 p.m. (7:30 p.m. gates open)
September 12
BENEFITS: CHARLESTON COUNTY PARKS Enjoy the best Reggae music around in a beautiful outdoor setting. Bring your chair or blanket and dance and rock the night away!
LOCATION: North Charleston Wannamaker County Park & James Island County Park
COST: $6 Adults, Free for Children under 12, Gold Passes honored CONTACT: www.ccprc.com or (843) 795-4386
August 13 Darius Rucker & Friends Homegrown Concert Time TBA BENEFITS: CHARLESTON COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT Darius Rucker, lead singer of Hootie & the Blowfish, along with country music star Dierks Bentley present a local favorite to benefit education. Since 2003, this concert series has encouraged fans to bring school supplies to the show as a donation to Charleston County Schools in need. LOCATION: Family Circle Stadium, Daniel Island COST: $25 to $40; Buy tickets via www.ticketmaster.com, various Publix outlets or the Family Circle Tennis Center ticket office
CONTACT: www.dariusrucker.com or (843) 849-5300
LOCATION: Roadways across the Lowcountry COST: Free CONTACT: (843) 722-5940 ext.132
September 16 3rd Annual Blue Ribbon Event 12 p.m. BENEFITS: CHARLESTON AREA THERAPEUTIC RIDING (CATR) Charleston Area Therapeutic Riding, Inc. (CATR) invites you to attend its 3rd Annual Blue Ribbon Event, a benefit luncheon for CATR’s scholarship program, featuring guest speaker Sally Hughes Smith. CATR improves the lives of kids and adults with disabilities at the area’s only nationally accredited therapeutic horseback riding center. LOCATION: Francis Marion Hotel, 387 King St., Charleston COST: $60 per person CONTACT: www.catrfarms.org, (843) 559-6040 or email catradmin@wildblue.net
September 22
Battle of the Bands 5:30 - 11 p.m.
11th Annual Outback Steakhouse Charity Golf Classic 11:30 a.m. - 6:30 p.m.
LOCATION: The Music Farm, 32 Ann Street, Downtown Charleston COST: Admission is $10 donation to Trident United Way CONTACT: www.tuwbattleofthebands.com
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BENEFITS: SC DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION Citizens from all over Charleston will engage in litter pickups. Volunteer your church, your office, your soccer team or just yourself. Groups simply agree to adopt a twomile stretch of highway, and pickup litter just four times per year for two years.
August 20
BENEFITS: TRIDENT UNITED WAY 13 bands composed of local professionals will rock Music Farm’s stage at the United Way’s 4th annual Battle of the Bands. A $10 donation to the United Way and your business card will grant you admission to hear great music and enjoy all you can eat and drink.
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Charleston Adopt-a-Highway 2009
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BENEFITS: EAST COOPER MEALS ON WHEELS For the past 11 years, East Cooper Meals on Wheels and Outback Steakhouse have hosted this event for more than 100 golfers for a day long tournament and banquet at the celebrated East Cooper golf course, RiverTowne Country Club. Proceeds benefit the purchase and delivery of meals for homebound seniors and recipients in the community. LOCATION: RiverTowne Country Club, Mt. Pleasant COST: $250 per player CONTACT: www.ecmow.org, (843) 881-9350 or email info@ecmow.org
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From Oyster Festivals to Galas – Where will CAUSE find YOU?
LOOK WHO’S CELEBRATING
To see more images of the Lowcountry community celebrating a cause, check out the CAUSE for Celebration section on pages 6-7. If you would like to submit a photograph to CAUSE, please e-mail your high-resolution image with caption to causeeditor@jlcharleston.org with the subject “PHOTO.” To find out about upcoming local fundraisers and events with a cause, check out the Engage section on pages 26-29. If you would like to submit a calendar entry to CAUSE, please e-mail your information to causeeditor@jlcharleston.org with the subject “EVENT.”
800.242.0707
ENGAGE
Calendar of Events (continued)
September 24-October 4
October 2-3
MOJA Festival Times vary
The 13th Annual Leukemia Cup Regatta 11 a.m.
BENEFITS: CITY OF CHARLESTON’S OFFICE OF CULTURAL AFFAIRS The MOJA Festival highlights the many African-American and Caribbean contributions to western and world cultures. The Festival’s wide range of events includes visual arts, classical music, dance, gospel, jazz, poetry, R&B, storytelling, theatre, children’s activities, traditional crafts, ethnic food and much more.
BENEFITS: THE LEUKEMIA & LYMPHOMA SOCIETY The Leukemia Cup Regatta is a weekend of sailboat races, in which participants sail, crew or cheer while raising funds for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS). Since its inception, the Leukemia Cup Regatta has raised more than $26.6 million for research and patient services.
LOCATION: Various locations throughout Charleston
LOCATION: Races begin in the Charleston Harbor; Post-Regatta celebration at the
COST: Varies by event – Free Admission and $5 to $20 ticket prices CONTACT: www.mojafestival.com or (843) 724-7305
Gaillard Expo Hall at 77 Calhoun St., Charleston
COST: Free for spectators; Funds raised by participants CONTACT: (843) 881-8176
September 24-October 25 33rd Annual Fall Tours of Homes & Gardens Times vary
If you would like to submit a calendar entry to CAUSE, please e-mail your information to causeeditor@ jlcharleston.org with the subject “Event.”
October 3 17th Annual IOP Connector Run and Walk for the Child 8 a.m.
BENEFITS: THE PRESERVATION SOCIETY OF CHARLESTON Come experience Charleston’s distinctive architecture, history and culture during this five-week fund raising and educational opportunity. View intimate gardens and architecturally significant private homes, churches and public buildings as you stroll through the historic streets of downtown.
BENEFITS: PREVENTION OF CHILD ABUSE IN OUR COMMUNITY Runners and walkers of all experience levels are invited to participate in the annual 10K and 5K run and walk event. Enjoy one of the most scenic road races in the Southeast while helping to support such an important cause.
LOCATION: Downtown Charleston
LOCATION: Isle of Palms Connector
COST: $45 per person per tour; Weekend rates available; Join the Preservation
COST: $25-$35 per participant
Society of Charleston and receive a 10% discount
CONTACT: www.ioprun.com or (843) 886-8294
CONTACT: www.preservationsociety.org or (843) 722-4630
October 9-11
OCTOBER 2009
29th Annual Taste of Charleston Times vary
October 1
BENEFITS: ARTHRITIS FOUNDATION CAROLINAS CHAPTER Enjoy gourmet food from some of Charleston’s finest restaurants, live music by Moonlight Ale, a silent auction and an evening of good times.
BENEFITS: RONALD MCDONALD HOUSE, HOLLINGS CANCER CENTER & CHARLESTON COUNTY SCHOOLS SCIENCE MATERIALS RESOURCE CENTER This three-day celebration of Lowcountry cuisine is being hosted by the Greater Charleston Restaurant Association and will feature some of Charleston’s finest, nationally renowned chefs. There are three special events this year, including: TasteIron Chef Competition, Taste of the Kitchen and Taste of the Arts. The main event, held on Sunday, Oct. 11, will showcase a sampling of the taste-tempting delights served at more than 40 of Charleston’s finest restaurants.
LOCATION: Charleston Visitor Center at 375 Meeting St., Charleston
LOCATION: Varies by event – Friday (Oct. 9) and Saturday (Oct. 10) at the Culinary
COST: $25 students/residents; $45 in advance; $50 at the door
Institute of Charleston’s Palmer Campus, Downtown Charleston; Saturday evening at various art galleries, Downtown Charleston; Sunday (Oct. 11) at Boone Hall, Mt. Pleasant
D’Vine Affair 7-10 p.m.
CONTACT: www.dvineaffair.org or e-mail Brian Dewhirst, MD at dewhirbd@hotmail.com
COST: Varies by event – Sunday main event is $10 per person in advance; $12 per person at entrance; Free for children under 10; Food and drink tickets sold separately
October 2
CONTACT: www.charlestonrestaurantassociation.com or (843) 577-4030
French Quarter Art Walk 5-8 p.m.
October 17
BENEFITS: FRENCH QUARTER GALLERY ASSOCIATION Stroll the cobbled streets and gas lit alleyways to discover the works of more than 500 artists representing a diverse variety of styles and mediums from traditional to contemporary. All galleries of the French Quarter will be open with the artists on-hand and refreshments. LOCATION: French Quarter, South Market to Tradd Streets and Meeting to East Bay Streets, Downtown Charleston
COST: Free CONTACT: www.frenchquarterarts.com or (843) 577-7101
Komen Lowcountry Race for the Cure 8 a.m. BENEFITS: BREAST CANCER RESEARCH Komen’s largest and most popular event is the Race for the Cure. Started as one local 5K race, this event has grown to be a national series of 110+ races in cities around the nation. LOCATION: Daniel Island COST: Funds raised by participants CONTACT: www.komenlowcountry.org or (843) 556-8011
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CAUSE
OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF JUNIOR LEAGUE OF CHARLESTON, INC.
October 17 Shinefest 2009 12-9 p.m. (11:30 a.m. gates open) BENEFITS: CHARLESTON COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT & THE CITADEL FOUNDATION ShineFest is a day-long music festival designed to be fun for all ages, while supporting education and promoting the awareness of all that's good. It will feature national, regional and local acts, including Blues Traveler, Blue Dogs, Jeff Sipe Trio, Sol Driven Train, Number One Contender and Gaslight Street. 100% of proceeds will benefit the above organizations. For every ticket sold, a FREE ticket will be given to a teacher. LOCATION: Joe Riley Stadium, Downtown Charleston COST: $35 per person in advance; $40 per person day of event CONTACT: www.shinefestcharleston.com
October 18 The 22nd Annual Town of Mount Pleasant Children’s Day Festival 12-5 p.m. BENEFITS: TOWN OF MT. PLEASANT Old and new traditions will meet again at the Mt. Pleasant Children’s Day Festival as children have their pick of tethered balloon rides, pony excursions, laser tag games, wall climbing and many other activities. LOCATION: Park West Recreation Complex, Mt. Pleasant COST: Varies CONTACT: www.townofmountpleasant.com or (843) 884-8517
October 24 Memory Walk 10 a.m. BENEFITS: ALZHEIMER’S ASSOCIATION Memory Walk is the nation’s largest event to raise awareness and funds for Alzheimer’s care, support and research. Since 1989, the event has raised more than $260 million for the cause. See the difference you can make as we walk to change the course of Alzheimer’s together. LOCATION: Charleston Harbor Resort & Marina, Lookout Pavilion at 20 Patriots Point Road, Mt. Pleasant
COST: Funds raised by participants CONTACT: (843) 571-2641 or e-mail Cameron Renwick at cameron.renwick@alz.org
October 29- November 7 2009 Coastal Carolina Fair Times Vary BENEFITS: THE EXCHANGE CLUB OF CHARLESTON The goal of the Coastal Carolina Fair is to be the ‘cleanest, safest, most enjoyable fair anywhere’ and its objective is to promote agriculture, industry, commerce and the educational and recreational facilities of the Charleston, Berkeley, Dorchester and Colleton counties and beyond. LOCATION: Exchange Park at 9850 Hwy. 78, Ladson, SC COST: $8 Adults; $5 Children (Game and ride tickets sold separately) CONTACT: www.coastalcarolinafair.org or (843) 572-3161
WHERE is
MYAD To make sure you are not left out of the next issue of CAUSE magazine, contact Richard Barry at
746-2246 to get more information on how you can take advantage of advertising in the Junior League of Charleston’s own publication.
In Our Next Issue: What's New for 2010? How the nonprofit community is keeping up with changing demographics and technologies in the "Twitter" age