(Charleston, SC) – I Serve With Joy announces the launch of a new community-centric Back 2 School Drive with a future-forward concept to connect local charities and businesses toward the common goal of helping underprivileged students. Backpacks and supplies will be accepted until Wednesday, August 24 at designated locations to fill over 250 backpacks with supplies that will then be donated for local charity back-to-school giveaways across South Carolina. On-site activations include 843 Day hosted by Magic 107.3 and Z93 Jamz from 3 p.m.- 6 p.m. at Park Circle Creamery of N. Charleston on Thursday, August 4, and a local social hosted by Lowes Foods of Hanahan 3 p.m.-7 p.m. on Tuesday, August 9.
I Serve With Joy aims to continue to meet the community where the need is the greatest and is a resource bearer to organizations who can best respond to the ever-changing needs of their respective communities. Their grassroots Back 2 School Drive unites businesses, nonprofits and the general public to take action in equipping kids with the tools needed to excel for a successful school year. Supplies being collected include paper, pencils, erasers, folders, glue sticks, crayons, colored pencils, scissors, clear backpacks and more.
“We always have our ear to the ground and have built an extensive network to immediately tackle existing gaps with innovative measures,” says I Serve With Joy’s Executive Director Joy Campbell. “Last year, we noticed an influx of individual back to school events, but resources were depleted and the demand outweighed the supply. So, we acted as an intermediary to share resources and partner hand-in-hand with other local organizations to advance their philanthropic goals.”
In the spirit of giving back, I Serve With Joy has also partnered with Magic 107.3 and Z93 Jamz for 843 Day, a fun-filled day focused on supporting the community at Park Circle Creamery in N. Charleston from 3 p.m.- 6 p.m. Giveaways include gift cards, electronics and more. School supply donations are welcomed. Lowes Foods of Hanahan will host a local social from 3 p.m.-7 p.m. on Tuesday, August 9 where 10% of shopping proceeds (excluding alcohol, tobacco, and lottery) will go toward the initiative. Learn more here.
Companies can give a charitable contribution to purchase backpacks and then can fill them with items as a collaborative team-building effort. Sample packages include 50 unfilled backpacks for $200 or 50 backpack kits with supplies for $600. Contributions can be made here. In addition, individual and family donations of $5, $10 or $100 to be made online here,
Current drop-off collection locations include Chick-fil-A Citadel Mall, 2070 Sam Rittenburg, Charleston, SC 29407; The Brew, 700 Bowen Pier Dr./Ste. 1 in Hanahan; Happy Nutrition at 1000 Tanner Ford Blvd./Unit 350 in Hanahan; Park Circle Creamery at 1069 E. Montague Ave. in N. Charleston; Wrapstar Vehicle Wraps & Signs at 7227 Cross County Rd./Unit B in N. Charleston; and Rhino Medical Supply 649-B Rosewood Dr, Columbia, SC 29201. Full list can be found here.
Sponsors who have helped make this initiative possible include North Charleston Police Department, Mike Hostilo Law Firm, Dr. Thaddeus Bell, Z93 Jamz, 95SX, Magic 107.3, Day Drink Brunch Lounge, Dream Maker Agent, Southern Lighting & Sound, Atlas Technologies Inc., Law Offices of Wanda E. Bradley, Swiff Smith Express, LLC., Bear Paw Creative, Renee Moore Beauty Bar, Polished Salon and Party People Balloon Designs.
