The prison environment is a dark place, where prisoners face violence, anger, gangs and loneliness daily.
Kairos Prison Ministry volunteers step into this darkness to hold a 3 ½ day weekend, with the majority of participants made up primarily of negative leaders within the prison. Through talks, discussions and Chapel meditations prisoners learn that they are worthy of God’s love, light and grace. That no matter who they are or what they have done, God forgives them.
When a former negative or gang leader accepts Christ, it can influence the very atmosphere of a prison for the better. As the Kairos Christian community inside a prison grows and begins to gain influence, the incidence of violence often decreases.
Hunger Coalition was nominated by Jackson Massey with their focus on the BPB. Backpack Buddies of Hilton Head was designed to fight weekend hunger and has grown to help children in all public schools on Hilton Head Island. Elementary aged children at partner schools receive nutritious food each Friday during the school year. Backpack Buddies of Hilton Head works to fill that gap by providing nutritious, child-friendly food for school children to take home over the weekend and older children to have during the week.
A predominantly volunteer-based non-profit, with a minimum of paid staff, The Deep Well Project has been helping neighbors in need since 1973. The organization was founded by Charlotte Heinrichs as a service to the local community that suffered illness as a result of drinking contaminated water from shallow wells. Over the decades, other needs evolved and so did “Deep Well” (as it’s known on the island). We help people in emergency situations by giving them an immediate hand up so that they can continue to help themselves. EIN# 57-0566098
Once the Men and Women Who Care select a local charity to award our quarterly distribution, we always have the organization return to share how our donation helped the group achieve their vision.
In the process, we try to gather people from our group as well as the charity for the presentation of the big check. When timing combined with the organizations facility, we have the opportunity to present the check at the site of the organization.
The Children’s Center provided a great opportunity for the Men and Women to support and a wonderful place to visit and appreciate what the Children’s Center is doing for our community.
A few of the Men and Women attended participating in the tour. We were walked through classrooms, playrooms, the kitchen and the playgrounds.
What we saw was a love for children and their development. In addition to giving to those helping others, if you are one that yearns to hold toddlers, the Children’s Center would welcome you to visit and operate a rocking chair. If interested, give them a call.
The Men and Women of Hilton Head held our winter meeting at Sea Pines Country this week. Osprey Village directors joined our meeting to receive their big check representing last quarters award to help with their vision.
Osprey Village shared with the group the plans and provided the project update.. Three members shared new opportunities for the group to help local charities accomplish their goal.
Votes are being tabulated and results will be published this week to award this quarter’s distribution.
Thanks to the staff of Sea Pines Country Club providing space, setting up and serving. The club is the enabler to get the funds to the nonprofits doing the heavy lifting in the community.
The Men and Women Who Care of Hilton Head conducted our quarterly social and one-hour meeting to decide which local charity we should support. We discussed three groups which are performing the heavy lifting for services in our community. With 135 active members participating from 5 different states, we raised over $18,000 for three groups.
We started our meeting with cocktails overlooking the marsh and announced that the group has raised over $235,000 in 12 meetings for local needs involving people just trying to go through life. Since our start, the group has made major donations to one local charity each quarter as well as contributions to several other charities represented in our meetings.
For this meeting, we selected three of the nominated charities to discuss how we could give back to the community. Three members made brief presentations for the following groups.
– Osprey Village
– Becky Francis Dignity Project
– Bluffton Soup Kitchen
All are well deserving opportunities and we are grateful for the members stepping forward to share their interest, passion and willingness to explain how the different groups are helping others in our area.
The votes are in. The members have selected The Osprey Village with the majority of the votes. We will work with Osprey Village to schedule a day for a photo. Representatives from Osprey Village will return to our next meeting to share how we helped with their vision.
As part of our process we heard from the Pregnancy Center and Clinic how our funds would be applied from our last meeting. Also, the Christ Lutheran Church attended to share how they are developing a shelter for those in need during the winter months in our area.
Now is the time to identify which of the local nonprofits on our island we should support in our January meeting. If you have one in mind, just reply with the name of the organization that you would like to have considered. Also, you can find the other nominations listed via the website on the menu as “Charities under Consideration”.
Our next meeting is planned for January and as soon as we lock-in in the conference room, we will let everyone know. We appreciate the guest and if you have someone that you would like to add to the mailing list just let me know. If you are not a member, sign up.
The Becky Francis Dignity Project is an effort to help our homeless neighbors and those without access to running water in their homes access a shower and laundry facility. This is a 24 ft self-contained trailer that has 2 shower stalls (1 ADA compliant), laundry machines, a 400-gallon water tank, a water heater, and a generator.
The trailer can be located almost anywhere. It can even be employed for all residents in the event of a natural disaster. The mission is to reach out to those in need, allowing them to regain and retain their dignity, and helping them reintegrate into society. The project is being operated by the United Way of the Low Country, working with partner agencies to reach as many of our neighbors in need as we are able. We are asking for a donation to help with the cost of perishables. Items like towels, underwear, soap, toothbrushes, razors, and the like.
Bluffton Community Soup Kitchen will feed and provide shelter for the hungry, seniors, sick and shut-in, homeless and underserved members of our community.
When Osprey Village Inc. formed in 2008, the founders aimed to create safe neighborhoods for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). Initially focused on their own adult children, they soon realized the immense need in the Lowcountry. As word spread, inquiries poured in from across the country, transforming their vision from a few homes to full neighborhoods.
In 2016, Kathy Cramer, a dedicated special education teacher, saw a need for recreational opportunities for individuals with intellectual disabilities in the Lowcountry. Starting with 53 athletes, Soar has grown into a vibrant community serving over 450 athletes across Beaufort and Jasper Counties. The recognition of Special Olympics as a school sport by Beaufort County and Jasper County marked a significant milestone in our journey. This designation not only facilitated transportation during the school day but also opened doors for after-school participation, mirroring the opportunities presented in traditional sports.
