Rolling Up Our Sleeves

Lately, it seems we've seen our share of disasters.

When Hurricane Matthew devastated our area, you donated almost $180,000 to the Community Foundation’s Disaster Recovery and Rebuilding Fund; we added $100,000. We then granted to nonprofit organizations providing immediate help and rebuilding support in our Lowcountry counties. Money came not only from individual donors, but also from multiple neighborhoods, businesses and groups that held fundraisers to support the fund.

We’re seeing that again, as our region faces uncertainty caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. As we watch it create hardship, we don’t do so helplessly. We roll up our sleeves and get to work.

In response, we created the Lowcountry Community COVID-19 Response Fund that has been deploying grants to front line nonprofits supporting the most vulnerable in our community. In early April we granted $158,000 to 11 area nonprofits, and we’ve awarded even more since then.

Others are stepping up as well. Here are some of the groups and organizations that have partnered with us to address COVID-19-related needs:

Lowcountry Strong Foundation, a fund of the Community Foundation, created the Hungry Hearts Restaurant Workers Relief Fund. Partnering with Downtown Catering Company, they’re serving free meals, 11 a.m. – 2:30 p.m., to restaurant workers who are currently out of work. To donate go to cflowcountry.civicore.com/ LowcountryStrongFoundation.

Camelot Limousine will pick up prescriptions, groceries, takeout orders and run errands. In lieu of payment, please make a gift to their crowdfunding campaign linked to our COVID-19 Response Fund. cflowcountry.civicore.com/ camelotlimoreliefcovid19

Community Strong – Club Outside is a membership initiative by Outside Brands. Donors purchase a $250 membership with many benefits and discounts. $100 from each purchase supports their laid-off employees and $50 goes into the Lowcountry Community COVID-19 Response Fund. outsidehiltonhead.com/cluboutside

Hampton Hall Charitable Fund has created a crowdfunding campaign to raise money for our COVID-19 response fund. You don’t have to be a Hampton Hall neighbor to donate. Learn more at cflowcountry.civicore.com/HHCFCOVID19Drive

Help 4 Hope, established by the Watterson Family Foundation and various partners, helps feed families impacted by the pandemic, generate business for local restaurants and sustain food service jobs. cflowcountry.civicore.com/help4hope

USCB Education Foundation – Student Emergency Fund provides support for USCB students who are housing/food insecure, may not have internet accessibility or transportation, or may have basic needs during this unforeseen crisis. cflowcountry. civicore.com/uscb-student-emergency-fund

You can help. Donate to our COVID-19 fund at cflowcountry.civicore.com/covid, or to any of the funds above. As we’ve seen in the past, our community will pull together and get through this.