Epworth Children's Home

#ThankfulThursday Throughout the year, the Central SC Chapter of the Carolinas Credit Union League collected more than 500 care package items for those we serve at Epworth! Last week, we were presented with these care packages along with a check from funds raised and a matching donation by the Carolinas Credit Union Foundation. A very special thank you to the foundation and all chapter members who so generously donated! Pictured L to R: Lauren, Kniccoa, Ashley, Sydney Keller Kerr- Epworth Volunteer Coordinator; Maggie, Cassandra, and Brittani Champlin- Director of Professional Development for the Carolinas League.

Markeshia Grant, founder and CEO of Savvy Skills and a trailblazer in women’s basketball, visited our campus on Saturday to share her life story and valuable insights on personal growth and identity with our residents. Markeshia is a former member of Coach Dawn Staley’s award-winning Lady Gamecocks team who now works as a consultant to the Lady Gamecocks, the WNBA’s Indiana Fever, and non-profit organizations. After her talk, she led our young residents in activities that helped each one think deeply about their values and identity to help them chart a clearer, more deliberate course for the future. Thank you very much to the Hitchhikers Sunday School class at Trinity United Methodist Church of Blythewood, which sponsored Markeshia’s workshop. The class also serves as Cottage Partners for Epworth’s Anderson Cottage. Shown below are Epworth staff with Markeshia Grant. L-R: Scotia, Jasmine, Quanna, Markeshia Grant, Lacey, Pamela, Sydney and Ms. Cooper.

A group of undergraduate and graduate students from Columbia International University chose to spend their Monday out of class (due to power outages on their campus) going out into the community and serving those who had been affected by the storm. One woman, whose yard they helped clean up, asked them to come check out Epworth after hearing that our campus had been hit hard. They showed up yesterday afternoon and got to work for almost three hours picking up limbs, raking debris, and moving fallen branches in front of our church, preschool, gym, and health center. From left to right, thank you, Andres, Beau, Seth, Johnny, Maria, and Tiara!

*Finding hope in teamwork and resilience* As our state continues to face hardship from Hurricane Helene, we are inspired by the helpers around us and so thankful for our dedicated team here at Epworth. Our incredible team members have gone above and beyond- cleaning up debris and gathering supplies to restore a sense of normalcy for our residents. Pictured here leading by example (right to left) are CEO Beth Williams, Lisa Fusco, Senior Director of Development and Communications, and Deborah Keller, Performance and Quality Improvement Director. Not pictured, but just as vital, are the many staff members who remained on campus throughout the weekend, rearranging furniture in the cottages with electricity to accommodate more youth and ensuring they felt safe and supported. Today, team members are sharing workspaces in the buildings with power, exemplifying the spirit of unity and resilience. Despite these hurdles, our youth remain safe and happy, and true teamwork continues to shine through. This is the Epworth way. For those who have asked how they can assist us, we truly appreciate your kindness and generosity. Your support means the world to us and helps ensure that we can continue to provide a safe and caring environment for our residents and support our foster parents across the state. https://lnkd.in/gGDp3c4

#ThankfulThursday Forty friendly, hardworking, and gracious volunteers from Allied Air’s facilities in West Columbia and Orangeburg gathered at our Columbia campus last week to paint the interior of a residential hall on our 32-acre campus. We are converting the space to accommodate a foster family with 5-8 children. We are very grateful for Allied Air’s generous donation of time and energy to Epworth. The company has been an extraordinary corporate partner to Epworth for years. They have provided educational and entertaining presentations for our teen residents to help spark interest in engineering; repaired furniture and performed other helpful maintenance projects; and donated funds from the company’s charitable foundation. Lennox is the parent company of Allied Air, and the project for Epworth was performed during the company’s annual Lennox Days of Good. Thank you, Allied Air and Lennox!

As the leaves change, so can you! A new season brings new opportunities— why not make this one about making a meaningful difference in the life of a child? Becoming a foster parent is a journey of love, support, and transformation— both for you and the child you welcome into your home. Start your journey today and be the change that turns a new leaf in a child’s life. ♥️🍁🍂 Join us virtually one week from today to learn about the foster home licensing process and the support and training Epworth offers throughout your fostering journey. It’s a conversation, not a commitment. 🗓️Tuesday, October 1st ⏰6pm-7pm Microsoft Teams- Register for a reminder: https://lnkd.in/egyZCfKq

#MotivationMonday #YourCareMatters Last Friday, Epworth Case Manager Matt Smarr contacted Epworth Vice President of Academics Christy Mooneyhan to talk about a former resident who had called him looking for help. *James came to Epworth in 2021 and was with us for less than two months. He came in with zero high school credits to his name and an interest in obtaining his GED. We got him enrolled in Adult Ed. and he was here long enough to go to class a few times. In his phone call to Matt, he shared that he wanted to go back to school and get his GED but had not been able to get the school records he needed to enroll and was wondering if we could help. Christy did a little research on what he should need and was able to email him the school records we had on file. James called Christy afterwards expressing how appreciative he was of Epworth helping him out once again. He shared that he had made five or so phone calls trying to find what he needed and had hit dead ends with every call. He then thought about us and called Matt because Matt had been great during his placement. James said he wanted to better himself and he knew that going back to school would put him on track for getting the job he wants as a security officer. This series of phone calls was a reminder that your care matters. Whether we get to show that care in one encounter, over weeks, months, or years, when someone shows they genuinely care, it can leave a lasting impact. In less than two months, James learned that Epworth was invested in him and because of that, knew he could call Matt three years later. Whether on staff with one of our many programs across the state, serving as an Epworth foster parent, volunteer or donor, your care matters and we are thankful for you!

It’s National Child Passenger Safety Week! Our Kinship Program received 10 new car seats through the S.C. Dept of Public Health Child Passenger Safety Program. These will be given to caregivers in need of assistance who complete basic car seat safety training. We are very thankful! Pictured here are Kevin Poore- Program Coordinator Injury and Substance Abuse Prevention Section of S.C. Dept. of Public Health, Sarah Cashion- Epworth Family Engagement Coordinator, Erinne Rodgers- Epworth Kinship Program Manager, and Emily Barb- Health Educator II with the Injury and Substance Abuse Prevention Section of S.C. Dept. of Public Health.

Join the work we’re doing in the Upstate! https://lnkd.in/ec2iHnEA

We’re #hiring. Know anyone who might be interested?