Tireless

When considering the recent experience with Hurricane Matthew, one word that comes to mind is “tireless.”

We watched the weather reports, hoping that, as time went on, Matthew would lose strength and tire out before it got to Haiti and Bermuda. And then before it arrived at the United States. And then before it hit Georgia/South Carolina. Matthew’s tirelessness seemed to go on and on and on…

Our county and town governments and our first responders worked tirelessly through this whole ordeal. Folks stayed behind and helped with evacuations until the last minute, hunkered down and were as terrorized as everyone else while they lived through the onslaught. And then there they were—and continue to be—with long hours on little food and little sleep in assuring that communication and safety, transportation and power, water and tree/debris removal, and property protection were handled as quickly and efficiently as possible.

And then the Community Foundation…

It is wonderful when a plan that has been carefully prepared works when it needs to do so. And it is terrible when that plan is a Disaster Preparedness Plan and it becomes necessary to execute. Hurricane Matthew pulled the trigger on our plan, and we discovered that the plan worked. And so did our staff—from places such as western South Carolina to Georgia to North Carolina. We worked to stay on top of communications, of gifts and grants, of needed decision-making by our Executive Committee (conference calls are great). We worked tirelessly from afar while worried about our homes and the Community Foundation offices as well. (Little damage; all is well). And our work is just beginning.


In the wake of devastation caused by Hurricane Matthew, individuals, groups and corporations wishing to donate to recovery and rebuilding efforts in the Lowcountry can make donations to Community Foundation of the Lowcountry’s Disaster Recovery and Rebuilding Fund. Our fund supports disaster recovery and rebuilding in Beaufort, Jasper, Hampton and Colleton Counties.

To donate online, click here. Checks can be mailed to Community Foundation of the Lowcountry, P.O. Box 23019, Hilton Head Island, SC 29925. Please note “Disaster Recovery” in the memo line.

Grants from the fund will be awarded to nonprofit organizations working on recovery and rebuilding efforts or impacted by the hurricane. On October 9, the board of directors for Community Foundation of the Lowcountry agreed to add an additional $100,000 to the fund.

Additionally, we have partnered with Beaufort County to coordinate volunteer efforts during recovery and rebuilding. Beaufort County requires that individuals and groups wishing to volunteer first register online at Lowcountry Volunteer Connections.

All recovery volunteer needs will be coordinated through this website.

We need your help, to the degree you are able, in sharing this information with friends and family. The needs will be great. And all of us will have to be tireless as we continue what could be a long rebuilding process.