The Lowcountry Food Bank is working hard to ensure every Lowcountry family has a meal this Thanksgiving Season and they need your help.
Whether it is $1.00 or $100.00 your contribution will help bring a smile to a family this season.
Click this link below to give today.
Meals on Wheels Delivers More than Meals to Isolated Neighbors
“Meals on Wheels saved my life,” shares 89-year-old Carolyn Allen. “I feel like I’m 50 again, but I’ll be turning 90 in June. It’s not just the food that has helped. Having people visit that I can share stories with is so special,” says Allen, a Meals on Wheels recipient since June of 2016.
According to her family, Allen has progressed from a state of isolation and depression to having a real joy for life again. They attribute this in large part to the love received daily from her volunteer delivery drivers, whom she now calls true friends.
The daily visit from a Meals on Wheels volunteer positively influences many aspects of life for the homebound in our community—physical health, safety, loneliness, mental health, and so much more. In fact, research from Meals on Wheels of America identifies the significant impact isolation and depression have on our physical wellbeing—the same as smoking 15 cigarettes a day.
“We’re the only organization east of the Cooper equipped to serve the homebound by providing not just the food they need, but the tangible benefits of friendship, conversation, and genuine concern for each recipient’s overall well-being,” said George Roberts, president, and CEO of East Cooper Meals on Wheels. “We help our homebound neighbors live with greater dignity, respect, independence, and vitality by knocking on their doors every day and giving them the gift of our time—a truly life-giving connection for someone who lives alone, which is especially important as we approach the holiday season,” he said.
Carroll Limited Partnership will match up to $1,000 of Isle of Palms donations.
Daniel Island Community Fund will match up to $5,000 of Daniel Island donations.
Edward and Sallie Pritchard will match up to $2,000 of Sullivan’s Island donations.
Feed The Need will match up to $10,000 of Mt. Pleasant donations.
During the holiday season, the organization works especially hard to ensure that no homebound neighbor is forgotten or hungry. East Cooper Meals on Wheels serves anyone who is homebound and cannot prepare a meal, including people of any age and any income level. Because the organization is 100% funded through community support, contributions ensure that the organization can continue its mission of delivering more than a meal to residents of Daniel Island, Mt. Pleasant, Sullivan’s Island, Isle of Palms, Cainhoy, and Wando. There is never a waiting list and never a charge for meals. Anyone can refer a friend, family member, neighbor, or themselves to begin receiving meals—call 843.881.9350, email rhamilton@ecmow.org, or visit www.ecmow.org.
Donate today by visiting, www.ecmow.org/donate or by calling 843.881.9350.
More
Facebook
@ECMealsonWheels
Instagram @ecmealsonwheels
Twitter @ECMealsonWheels
Hashtags #ECMOWMorethanameal
About East Cooper Meals on Wheels
East Cooper Meals on Wheels delivers daily nutrition to residents within its service area (Mount Pleasant, Daniel Island, Isle of Palms, Sullivan’s Island, Cainhoy or Wando) who are homebound or unable to provide their own meals. Recipients have physical or mental limitations or short-term physical limitations (such as recovery from surgery or chemotherapy). The organization also advocates on behalf of recipients whose needs exceed the scope of its program. For more information, visit www.ecmow.org.
If you love experiencing the local craft brew scene then you’re going to love the new Brew Hop Pass! The pass will include discounts such as “buy a pint get a pint” at 28 of Charleston’s top breweries, taprooms and also includes $8 off axe throwing.
Here’s how it works:
Click here to watch a video demo: https://vimeo.com/369356831
Additional features of the app: Utilizes GPS to see what’s nearest with directions, see what brews are currently on tap at each brewery, upload photos, leave comments and compete on our monthly leaderboard to win prizes. To discourage impaired driving, users can call an Uber directly to locations within the app.
Created by Keith Simmons, President of Traveler Communications Group who successfully launched Tour Pass Charleston and Tour Pass Savannah (tourpass.com). “Charleston’s craft brewery scene has been exploding with new breweries opening all of the time. The goal of the Brew Hop Pass is to encourage fellow beer lovers to utilize the pass to experience and support the amazing craft beer scene in the city.” Simmons adds, “the mobile app will help educate locals and tourists about the vibrant brewery scene while promoting our partners in a new and entertaining manner.”
Subscription options:
Participating Breweries & Tap Rooms include:
Additional locations will be added in the future.
Social Connections:
Facebook http://www.facebook.com/brewhoppass
Instagram @brewhoppass
Hashtag #brewhoppass #chsbrewhoppass
For more information:
Amanda Bunting Comen
Owner, Social ABCs
843-324-1993
Charleston GOOD Launches Hyper-Local Alternative to Facebook
Are you ready for a more meaningful and effective social media platform?
CHARLESTON, SC (October 28, 2019) — On Friday, the first day of November, Charleston GOOD, the Lowcountry’s grassroots resource and support network, will officially open the season of giving by launching a new free platform to better serve the needs of individuals and organizations trying to make Charleston a better community for all of us.
The GOODSHARING NETWORK has been a vision of Charleston Good’s founder, Todd Chas, for over a decade as he watched and shared in the growing frustration with existing platforms.
“Imagine a completely ad-free social network where you actually will see what your friends share and reach the people you’re trying to reach. Imagine a single platform where eager volunteers and needy organizations can effectively find one another. Imagine an online community that cares more about you and Charleston than about revenue streams. Now stop imagining and come join us because that is what we have built.”
The GOODSHARING NETWORK is an exciting and self-sustaining alternative that will help individuals and organizations in Charleston communicate, connect and collaborate more purposefully and effectively.
Why? Because …
• FREE – Always and forever, though if you’d ever like to make a donation, head over to CharlestonGOOD.com
• AD-FREE – Charleston Good is a non-profit. They’re not in this to raise revenue by inundating you with advertisements
• COMMITTED TO PROTECTING YOUR PRIVACY – Charleston Good will never sell or share your data.
• CONVENIENT – The platform is accessible via the web or the Mighty Networks app! And you can even share directly to Facebook from the platform, so you can control how much you want to wean yourself from FB.
• EFFECTIVE – There are no algorithms controlling what you see in your feeds. You control what you see by choosing your own notification settings. This means everyone will be more effective reaching one another and our intended audiences.
• HYPER-LOCAL & PURPOSE-DRIVEN – Charleston Good is not trying to be all things to all people. They’re focused on individually and collectively making a positive impact on Charleston. And they are reachable. Since they are local, they can adapt, as they have always done, to meet our evolving community needs.
• FULL OF FEATURES
> Create online personal and organizational profiles
> Customize your notifications (web site/app)
> Connect with friends
> Post, comment, like, and share
> Direct message your friends
> Create polls and surveys
> Create groups and events
> Follow Topics, Friends, Organizations, and Groups
Ready to check it out?
You can learn more and sign up for free at Goodsharing.net
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Charleston Library of Things
South
Carolina’s first sharing hub for tools and other household goods.
“Learn. Build. Grow. Share.”
(Charleston, SC) Charleston Library of Things announced today that it is raising funds and offering membership opportunities on crowdfunding platform Indiegogo for South Carolina’s first “library of things,” slated to operate from Charleston, SC. The company is aiming to raise $40,000 as start-up capital for a mobile library that will service the greater Charleston community as a lending library for tools and other household goods.
A library of things is a community sharing space filled with commonly needed, but not often used items. The library will begin with the core categories of home improvement and gardening tools, kitchen countertop appliances, and DIY equipment. Additional categories, based on community demand, can include seasonal items such as camping gear, or entertainment items such as board games.
In lieu of buying and storing costly items that take up space and are rarely needed, the goal is to have them available to borrow, similar to borrowing a library book. Membership is annual and is sliding scale in order to make it affordable to the entire community.
There are other sharing libraries around the world and a few exist in the southeast, but none yet exist in South Carolina. Charleston Library of Things would be the first of its kind in the state.
Beyond the offering of the library itself, the organization’s goal is to build community in three core ways that benefit their members – repair cafes, community classes and events, and a sharing blog.
Repair cafes
Regular “repair cafes” will be offered so that members can extend the life of the things they already own by having them repaired at these events.
Community classes
Rotating basic skills classes will be offered based on community demand and collaborations with other local businesses. Not only will new skills sharpen members’ abilities to use the items they borrow but will introduce them to the offerings of other local businesses.
Sharing blog
The library will also have a blog on its website which can feature members as guest bloggers. Each guest blog post will feature a member who has documented how they used what they borrowed. The goal here is both community building as well as giving members the opportunity to show off their skills – possibly launching their own small business by showcasing their talents.
By extending the idea of the sharing economy which already offers the benefits of home-sharing (AirBnb), ride-sharing (Lyft and Uber), and bike-sharing (Holy Spokes), Charleston Library of Things is aimed at alleviating the burden of ownership and increasing community by sharing things, repairing things, and teaching new skills.
The bulk of the funding from the library’s Indiegogo campaign will be used to purchase a bus so they can be mobile and start serving the community by visiting neighborhoods, farmer’s markets, and other community gathering spaces. The remainder of the funds will be used to pay for other operating expenses such as insurance, gas, office supplies, maintenance, and large equipment purchases.
The campaign is live now and will run through November 1st.
To contribute to the campaign and to become a sponsor and/or member, visit: igg.me/at/CHSLOT or go to indiegogo.com and search for “Charleston Library of Things.”
To learn more about Charleston Library of Things, visit: chslot.com or find them on Facebook and Instagram at: @chslot
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ROLLER RABBIT’S VIBRANT, HANDCRAFTED STYLE JOINS CHARLESTON’S BUSTLING BUSINESS DISTRICT
October 29, 2019 – Roller Rabbit, the happiness-driven lifestyle brand founded in 2003, is excited to announce it is bringing its collection of globally inspired clothing, accessories, and home goods to South Carolina with the opening of a Charleston store. Located at 163 King Street, the new store opens to the public on November 5th, with a sip and shop event co-hosted by renowned photographer, Lucy Cuneo. Guests who attend this grand opening fete will be offered a sneak-peek into Roller Rabbit’s Holiday & Resort 2019 Collection and will receive a 25% discount on full-priced merchandise.
The Charleston store’s product offering will honor Roller Rabbit’s legacy of enlisting artisans from all corners of the world to produce its high-quality lifestyle goods. Shoppers of all ages are encouraged to discover the soulful curation of designs merchandised throughout the 663-square space, including kurtas featuring unique patterns that are hand-block printed onto garments in India to cozy sleepwear produced in Peru made from 100% Pima cotton. The shop will bear Roller Rabbit’s signature prints up-cycled into the store’s interior finishing. After exploring products that elicit feelings of happiness and joy, visitors also will be invited to relax and unwind on the store’s outdoor patio.
“From the city’s love of color and free-spirited lifestyle to the strong appreciation for friends and family, the Charleston market sits at the crossroads of Roller Rabbit’s heritage and future. The South has always felt like a natural home for the brand. The time felt right to come back to Charleston’s growing and vibrant community. The renaissance happening in the retail district of King Street is one that Roller Rabbit is thrilled to be a part of in our return home to Charleston,” says Roller Rabbit CEO, Andrew Seibert.
The King Street boutique will become Roller Rabbit’s 13th U.S. brick and mortar store. It will operate Monday through Saturday from 10 AM to 6 PM and on Sundays from 11 AM to 5 PM.
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ABOUT ROLLER RABBIT
Roller Rabbit was founded in 2003 with a capsule collection of colorful, block printed kurtas inspired by a piece of discarded fabric found in India. This fabric was more than a scrap of printed cotton; it told the magical tale of the Roller Rabbit and its quest for joy. The company has evolved into a full lifestyle brand offering a dynamic range of women’s and children’s ready-to-wear, sleepwear, accessories, and bedding. Roller Rabbit believes how something is made is just as important as the finished product. From India to Peru, from Thailand to Bhutan, and even here in the United States, all branded creations are handmade by regional artisans who use time-honored methods to generate soulful products that bring happiness into the homes of customers. Every artisan in the company’s production network is part of the Roller Rabbit story.
FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:
photo attached; from left, Joshua Schaap, Cathy Leeke, C. Kendrick
MOUNT PLEASANT, S.C. — Local investment firm Charleston Commercial is making a significant impact on the state’s foster care crisis. The company — led by C. Kendrick and managing director Joshua Schaap — donated $30, 000 to Lifeline Children’s Services South Carolina, making the company the largest single donor in Lifeline’s foster care program. The donation will fund the organization’s work securing and supporting foster families.
Lifeline has three social workers and 35 foster families — another 200 foster parents are needed in the Charleston area. Lifeline’s goal is to add 40 more foster families to its roster in 2020.
So far, this year, 43 children have been placed in foster care with Lifeline, yet across the state many more foster care families are needed. According to the S.C. Department of Social Services, as of June 30, there were 4,584 children in foster care. Of that total, 796 were in the Lowcountry region. The state recently announced it would boost the daily rate it pays foster families in an effort to curb the shortage of foster families.
Even still, the Lifeline training for foster families and the ongoing support for those families is much more rigorous and supportive, Schaap said. One Lifeline social worker trains and supports 11 foster families. Each Lifeline foster family loves and supports an average of 3.5 foster children. Therefore, for every $2,000 donated to Lifeline, a child in the Lowcountry receives needed services.
“What needs to happen is quite simple: We, as a community, need to fund Lifeline to hire and sustain 18 social workers,” Schaap said. “This would eradicate the total foster care need in the Lowcountry. That’s impactful. That’s getting a big ‘bang’ for your buck.”
A faith-based nonprofit, Lifeline Children’s Services South Carolina is one of 13 state locations of Lifeline Children’s Services, which is headquartered in Alabama. The organization provides a significant amount of support to its foster families both as children transition into their homes and as they leave to be reunited with their biological families. It works closely with local churches and provides parenting courses and education.
Lifeline’s commitment to resourcing foster families throughout the process is one of the reasons Schaap said he has been a long-time supporter of Lifeline Children’s Services. He also believes in funding organizations that get to the root cause of solving problems.
“If a foster child is cared for, loved and guided with an ethical compass, the chance of that child becoming a meaningful member of society is fantastic,” Schaap said. “If the child’s family receives counseling, love and support, the chances of their child re-entering the foster care system is diminished. Conversely, if a child is placed in and out of state foster care, group homes or placed back with non-functioning families, the probability of that child becoming a meaningful member of society is not equal to the former example. So, why not support Lifeline, which supports both the child, the foster family, and the birth family.”
Over the last several years, Charleston Commercial has donated more than $50,000 to Lifeline as well as donating a car for Lifeline social workers to drive when visiting foster families across the Lowcountry.
“This is the first time we have announced our giving to this organization since we began supporting Lifeline several years ago,” Kendrick said. “We hope others in the community will realize you don’t have to be super wealthy to make a tremendous impact. The fact that we remain one of Lifeline’s largest single donors in their foster care program is upsetting. There is so much wealth in this community, and people need to wake up as to what’s going on and how easy it can be to make a difference.”
Cathy Leeke, SC state director for Lifeline, added, “All of Lifeline’s services are provided to the state of South Carolina free of charge. While foster families and children receive state-funded benefits, our Lifeline staff is supported by private individuals, local businesses, churches and grants. Without support from businesses like Charleston Commercial, we could not continue our work and many more children would go without a loving foster family.”
About Charleston Commercial
Charleston Commercial is a fully integrated commercial real estate group located in Charleston, S.C., specializing in commercial brokerage and asset management for a wide range of property types, including retail, medical office, office, multi-family, hospitality, urban infill, and industrial properties. The firm offers a broad range of incorporated services to see assignments through from start to finish. Services range from market prospecting, acquisition, value creation (including entitlements, zoning, approvals, and development oversight), leasing, asset management, and disposition.
By Mark A. Leon
Borrowed air
Borrowed time
Touch
A terminal birth followed by a lifetime of wonder
A million momentary explosions of euphoria spreading like a disease infecting the soul
A universal spirit
Infinite, yet so close
Breathe
Just breathe
Repeat
Taste the air
The nectar of existence
Feel it coat the tunnel of your throat
Touch
Listen to that child’s song
Here the powerful lyrics of hope
It penetrates the spirit with the essence of faith and dreams
It reminds the sleeping heart to waken
Let go
Break the padlock
Open the door of desire
A promise of failure
A restoration of endurance
Begin again
Touch
A purr from a cat nudging the ankle
Birds whistle harmonies of love
Tranquil leaves fall from a branch
Rivers stream the purity of waters rush freedom
Nature’s symphony
Touch
Love
Filled with tears
Uncontrollable
Tightening the stomach
Uncontrollable
Love
Power unexplained
No ancient scrolls have answers
No doctrine
Embrace the sorrow; caress the bliss
The rain will wash it all away
Love is felt with the touch
In the darkness of closed eyes, sense the presence
The approach
Anticipation
Touch
Omit color
Black and white
Purity
A poetic journey; empty canvas; unknown abyss
These are only the beginnings
A rainbow awaits and all in between in a world of pure imagination
Soon you will see, that is all that matters
Touch
Federal Funding to Support Progress through Capital Investment Grants
NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. (October 8, 2019) – The Berkeley-Charleston-Dorchester Council of Governments received approval from the U.S. Department of Transportation recently to initiate project development for South Carolina’s first mass transit project.
A BCDCOG initiative, the Lowcountry Rapid Transit project development will receive key funding through the DOT’s Federal Transit Administration’s Capital Investment Grant program, which will provide much needed dollars for the estimated $387.5M total project cost.
“Receiving
preauthorization to enter the project development phase is another huge
step forward in making LCRT a reality in our region,” said Ron Mitchum,
the BCDCOG’s executive director. “This step opens critical funding
streams and puts us in position to continue generating forward momentum
and progress on the project.”
LCRT 101
Lowcountry
Rapid Transit is a proposed 26-mile bus rapid transit system connecting
the communities of Charleston, North Charleston, and Summerville along
the US 78/US 52 (Rivers Avenue) corridor. LCRT is projected to improve
transit and enhance regional mobility in one of the most important and
most congested corridors in the state.
The project includes upgrades to the existing maintenance and storage facilities, adding bus rapid transit stations and articulated electric vehicles.
“LCRT
is a network of possibilities that will provide residents with
dependable, frequent transportation and greater access to opportunities
throughout the region,” said Sharon Hollis, the BCDCOG’s principal
planner and LCRT project lead. “Connections between communities and
employment centers would be enhanced and would also accommodate other
modes such as biking and walking.”
Next Steps
Operating
under the federal government’s Fixing America’s Surface Transportation
Act of 2015, the BCDCOG will be required to select a locally preferred
alternative, which it plans to have done by August 2020, and have the
alternative adopted into the long-range transportation plan by January
2021.
As part of the National Environmental Policy Act framework, the required environmental review process began earlier this year. The NEPA process allows the project team to learn as much as possible about the local area and communities in order to reach a decision that best meets the needs of the community and minimizes or avoids impacts to the environment and communities.
At its completion, LCRT is expected to begin revenue service in late 2025.
“Being able to adjust to the rapid growth in our region is important when we consider mobility as a key factor in the expansion,” said Mitchum. “BCDCOG is very excited for this advancement in the LCRT process and is ready to improve not just transit for our residents and visitors in the Tricounty area, but their quality of life as well.”
ABOUT BCDCOG
The BCDCOG is a voluntary association of, by and for local governments, and was established to assist Berkeley, Charleston and Dorchester county leaders in planning for common needs, cooperating for mutual benefit, and coordinating for sound regional development. BCDCOG’s purpose is to strengthen the individual and collective power of local governments and to help them recognize regional opportunities, eliminate unnecessary duplication, and make joint decisions. For the latest on BCDCOG, visitwww.bcdcog.com, like us onFacebook or follow on Twitter at @BCDCoG.
Charleston, SC (October 17th, 2019) – Top luxury real estate firm, Daniel Ravenel Sotheby’s International Realty has partnered with the developer of Edwards Place, a picturesque neighborhood of 10 custom homesites in Old Mt. Pleasant. The boutique luxury brokerage will handle the marketing and sale of this historical piece of Old Mt. Pleasant as one of the last single family homesites in the area.
“Edwards Place is quintessentially Charleston. It will meet eager homeowners awaiting the next evolution of rare premium new construction in a well-established and highly sought-after neighborhood” says Andrew Robertson of Daniel Ravenel Sotheby’s International Realty.
The development was once part of the late Gov. Jim Edwards’ family homestead and is the last remaining and largest undeveloped site in Old Mt. Pleasant at 3.4 acres. Now the new owner in this historical area has created a Lowcountry designed, elegant lifestyle focused community with low maintenance and pre-installed irrigation and full service lawn care. This property is also situated on one of the highest elevations in Mt. Pleasant which is out of the flood zone that encompass lot elevations between 18′ – 23′ above sea level. The site was planned and permitted in close coordination with the previous owners and the Town of Mt. Pleasant, with features that are expected to enhance the property values of the surrounding homes and neighborhood.
“We feel extremely fortunate to be the current stewards of this beloved family property. It’s been wonderful to work with the Edwards and Melcher families and it’s an honor to invite the next generation of families to enjoy Edwards Place” says Scott Elferdink developer of Edwards Place.
For more information contact the sales team at Daniel Ravenel Sotheby’s International Realty or visit the website at www.EdwardsPlaceHomes.com. The sales team is available by appointment and can be reached by email at info@edwardsplacehomes.com or by phone at 843-580-2400P
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Serving the Lowcountry for 36 years, Daniel Ravenel Sotheby’s International Realty has closed over $2 billion in real estate sales, all without litigation. Joining the Sotheby’s International Realty brand in 2007, the company has taken its local market expertise and expanded into the international arena through a close partnership with the Sotheby’s Auction House and a powerful referral network across affiliate offices worldwide.
Property listings from Daniel Ravenel Sotheby’s International Realty also are marketed on the SothebysRealty.com global web sites, as well as on the firm’s local website, DanielRavenelSIR.com.
The Sotheby’s International Realty network currently has more than 22,500 affiliated independent sales associates located in approximately 990 offices in 72 countries and territories worldwide. in 2018 its affiliated brokers and sales professionals achieved more than $112 billion USD in global sales volume, the highest annual sales volume performance in the history of the brand. In addition to the referral opportunities and widened exposure generated from this source, the firm’s brokers and clients will benefit from an association with the Sotheby’s auction house and worldwide Sotheby’s International Realty marketing programs. Each office is independently owned and operated.
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