giving back: Charleston Gives

There’s no denying Charleston is a city with a generous spirit, especially during the holidays, when local organizations are met with an outpouring of donations, volunteers and goodwill. But if your holiday calendar is already overflowing, don’t worry—you can make a difference in the new year, too. In fact, many nonprofits see volunteer support and donations dip once the holidays have passed, making January and the months that follow an especially meaningful time to lend a hand. On the next page, we highlight two local organizations—the Lowcountry Food Bank and Lowcountry Pregnancy Center—that offer plenty of ways to give back long after the holiday decorations come down. 

Animal Welfare Charities

Pet support is appreciated at the Charleston Animal Society (charlestonanimalsociety.org) and Dorchester Paws (dorchesterpaws.org) for adoption and rescue. Support local wildlife needs at the Avian Conservation Center (thecenterforbirdsofprey.org), and the rescue and rehabilitation of horses at Hope Acres Rescue (hopeacresrescue.org) 

Environmental Charities

Promote the Audubon Society’s education programs (charlestonnaturalhistorysociety.org), support the Coastal Conservation League’s protection of natural resources (coastalconservationleague.org), conserve natural spaces through the Lowcountry Land Trust (lowcountrylandtrust.org), and aid Surfrider, a grass-roots nonprofit protecting our beaches, oceans, and waterways (charleston.surfrider.org).

Health and Wellness Charities

The March of Dimes South Carolina focuses on the health of babies and mothers (marchofdimes.org), American Red Cross, Lowcountry South Carolina provides disaster relief and blood collection for hospitals (redcross.org), and the American Heart Association educates, drives research, and provides care for heart disease victims (heart.org), and Ronald McDonald House Charities of Charleston provides a "home away from home" where families can stay while their child is hospitalized. (expandinghope.org).

Education and Youth Development Charities

Beautiful Gate Center is a developmental learning center, for children developmental disabilities and autism spectrum disorders, (beautifulgatecenter.org), Reading Partners places community volunteers in low-income Charleston schools (readingpartners.org), and Teachers' Supply Closet is a nonprofit organization that provides free school supplies to teachers in Title 1 schools (teacherssupplycloset.org).

Hunger and Homelessness Charities

The Lowcountry Food Bank provides meals for the community (lowcountryfoodbank.org),  Charleston Habitat for Humanity builds affordable housing (charlestonhabitat.org), East Cooper Community Outreach addresses basic needs,health services and empowerment (eccocharleston.org), Dee Norton Child Advocacy Center strives to keep children safe from abuse and trauma (deenortoncenter.org), My Sister's House provides services, programs and resources to empower domestic violence victims and their children (mysistershouse.org), and One 80 Place helps the homeless find safe shelter (one80place.org).

Arts and Culture Charities

Donate to local museums, the Gibbes Museum of Art (gibbesmuseum.org) and the Halsey Institute of Contemporary Art (halsey.cofc.edu), and community art space, the Redux Contemporary Art Center (reduxstudios.org). Support the children’s programs provided by the Charleston Symphony Orchestra (charlestonsymphony.org), and Charleston Jazz (charlestonjazz.com).   

Lowcountry Food Bank Needs Volunteers After the Holidays

Hunger doesn’t follow the calendar. For the Lowcountry Food Bank, January and February are especially important months—and often when volunteer support begins to wane. “They are vital months because they help set the tone for the year ahead,” says Nick Contestabile, Director of Quality Assurance and Inventory Compliance for the Lowcountry Food Bank. “Strong volunteer participation during this time allows us to build on the momentum of the holiday season and keep food moving to our neighbors who need it,” he says. When volunteer numbers drop, more of the work falls to the Food Bank's employees. "While our team is incredibly dedicated, we simply can’t accomplish the same volume of work without the help of volunteers,” Contestabile explains.

 For Charleston Realtor and longtime Lowcountry Food Bank volunteer Adam Killermann, making volunteering part of his weekly routine has become something far more meaningful than a good intention. After years of financial support, he came across a letter inviting people to a volunteer orientation. He signed up—and never looked back. Now, 20 years into his real estate career, Killermann dedicates three hours most Tuesday mornings to the Zucker Family Production Kitchen, where he cooks meals that can feed 400 to 450 people, along with whatever else is needed that day. “It was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made in my life,” Killermann says. “It is by far my favorite day of the week. 

The Food Bank offers weekday shifts from 9 a.m. to noon, and 1 to 3 p.m. for packing food, sorting donations, or supporting their warehouse team, along with ride-along opportunities to pick up donations.  January is an especially important time to pitch in,” Contestabile says, “when additional help is often needed to catch up on packing projects and meet delivery deadlines.”

“There are so many opportunities from the kitchen to the warehouse, to even teaching nutrition and how to cook in the community,” adds Killermann. So, if the holidays leave your calendar feeling full, consider penciling in a commitment for the new year. 

Go to lowcountryfoodbank.org/get-involved/volunteer to learn more.

At the Lowcountry Pregnancy Center, Giving Your Time Can Change a Life

For organizations serving local families, the need for compassionate volunteers continues long after the holidays. At the Lowcountry Pregnancy Center, volunteers are an essential part of the ministry—and there are many ways to get involved.

With more than 40 regular volunteers serving across the center’s three locations, the opportunities range from meaningful one-on-one connections with clients to hands-on support behind the scenes. Volunteers can help clients navigate important, life-affirming decisions for themselves and their babies, teach parenting education classes, assist with medical services, or help distribute essential baby items.

Not able to commit to a weekly schedule? There are opportunities for occasional volunteers, too. Individuals, churches, and civic groups can organize diaper drives or baby showers to collect much-needed supplies for families in the community. Volunteer needs vary throughout the year, so there is no one-size-fits-all way to lend a hand.

And the impact can be profound. According to the Lowcountry Pregnancy Center, volunteers are often the people clients remember most. Many share that the person they spoke with made a life-changing difference simply by making them feel safe, loved, and cared for—sometimes in a way they had never experienced when seeking help elsewhere.

For anyone thinking about volunteering but wondering what they have to offer, the answer may be simpler than you think: your time, your willingness to listen and your compassion can make a lasting difference to a family in the Lowcountry. 

To learn more about current volunteer opportunities, contact Ministry Engagement Supervisor Cheryl Lewis at cheryl@lowcountrypregnancycenter.com.