Good Cheer Fund History
The Good Cheer Fund was established in 1927 by Thomas P. Lesesne, former managing editor of The News and Courier as a Lowcountry community outreach program to help people in need during the holiday season.
The Good Cheer Fund traditionally begins the Sunday after Thanksgiving and runs through Christmas Day. Each day during this period, The Post and Courier publishes daily updates and inspiring accounts of how the fund helps neighbors in need through the nine Good Cheer Fund agencies: Association for the Blind, Carolina Youth Development Center, Catholic Charities, East Cooper Community Outreach (ECCO) the Lowcountry Food Bank, One80 Place, Operation Home, Salvation Army, and Star Gospel Mission.
Since the Good Cheer Fund’s beginning, more than $11,567,201.43 has been raised to help families and individuals in crisis, clothe the less fortunate and feed the hungry in the community.
How the Fund Works
Principal funding comes from individuals and businesses in the community who respond annually to the newspaper articles written during the holiday season. One hundred percent of the donations made to the Good Cheer Fund are distributed to the eight agencies, with no overhead or administrative costs consuming any of the contributions.
The Good Cheer Fund is registered in the State of South Carolina as a part of The Post and Courier Foundation. The Fund has its own bank account and funds received are deposited to that account, providing separate accountability for Good Cheer Fund receipts, and the funds are not commingled with any other funds of the newspaper.
The Good Cheer Fund has been the recipient of several endowment gifts from estates. The funds are recorded as a “Restricted Fund” of The Post and Courier Foundation and are deposited with the Foundation. Annually, the Good Cheer Fund receives a prorated share of the interest, dividend and capital gains of the managed fund, attributed to the Restricted Fund, which is deposited into the Good Cheer Fund and distributed along with the other funds to the agencies.
Your Donations at Work
One hundred percent of the donations made to the Good Cheer Fund are distributed to the following eight agencies to aid the less fortunate in the Lowcountry during the holidays.
Association for the Blind & Visually Impaired South Carolina
Founded in 1936, the Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired South Carolina (ABVI) provides specialized vision education and comprehensive vision rehabilitation to individuals of all ages across South Carolina and beyond. We work to improve the quality of life of our clients through empowerment, services, advocacy and enrichment.
For more information, please contact Brooks Harken | email: bharken@abvisc.org | phone: 843.952.7242 or visit www.abvisc.org.
Catholic Charities
Catholic Charities of South Carolina is the social outreach arm of the Catholic Church, with our Coastal Regional Office covering Charleston, Berkeley, and Dorchester counties. We were founded in 1945 by the Catholic Diocese of Charleston and have since grown to encompass the entire state of South Carolina. Through our wellness and basic needs services, family services, homeless and outreach services, and case management and advocacy, we serve our neighbors in need and provide a compassionate and personal approach, helping restore awareness of the dignity of every person. Coastal Catholic Charities hosts yearly Thanksgiving distributions, provides Christmas gifts, and other emergency assistance during the holiday season. By using a holistic approach to our services, we strive to break the cycle of poverty and guide our clients towards stability and self-sufficiency and make a lasting impact in their lives.
For more information, please contact: Rocio Maldonaldo at 843-531-5576.
The Salvation Army
The Salvation Army is part of a worldwide movement that tailors its programs to the needs of the areas it serves. The Charleston & Dorchester locations help a wide range of clients through services such as emergency food assistance, clothing vouchers, utility and rental assistance, and prescription medicines. The Salvation Army provides Christmas gift assistance to families in need during the Christmas season.
For more information please contact:
Dorchester County:
Suzette Dunlap | Email: Suzette.Dunlap@uss.salvationarmy.org | Phone: (843) 747-5271 ext 65930
Berkeley County:
Jennifer Happ | Email: Jennifer.Happ@uss.salvationarmy.org | Phone: (843) 747-5271 ext 65902
Charleston County:
Chasity Gilliard-Brown | Email: Chasity.Gilliard-Brown@uss.salvationarmy.org | Phone: (843) 747-5271 ext 65901
Landmarks for Families
Founded in 1790 as the Charleston Orphan House, the mission of Landmarks for Families (formerly Carolina Youth Development Center) is to cultivate thriving youth and families. Last year, CYDC served more than 900 children and families across the Lowcountry. In addition to cottages for youth in foster care, are runaway or homeless, or are transitioning into adulthood, Landmarks for Families provides community-based programs including parenting classes, family counseling and family skills workshops, grief support groups and summer literacy programs.
For more information, or to schedule a campus tour or discuss volunteer opportunities, please contact: Katie Smith | email: katie.smith@landmarksforfamilies.org phone: 843-266.5200 or 937.403.2666
Lowcountry Food Bank
Founded in 1983, the Lowcountry Food Bank’s mission is to unite our community in pursuit of equitable, dignified, and consistent access to food, and our vision is a nourished and thriving coastal South Carolina. Led by our guiding principles of “Feed. Advocate. Empower “and our values of “Integrity – Respect – Commitment – Equity – Collaboration – Kindness,” the Lowcountry Food Bank is committed to meeting today’s need with nutritious food, amplifying the voice of our neighbors, empowering our neighbors through nutrition education and service with dignity, and organizational excellence. Currently, 96% of the organization’s charitable dollars are spent on direct programs and services. Each year, the Lowcountry Food Bank partners with more than 250 (non-profit and faith-based organizations), community/senior centers, on-site meal providers, and schools to distribute approximately 40 million pounds of food and other essential items to over 200,000 children, seniors, Veterans, and adults experiencing food insecurity across coastal South Carolina. During a natural disaster, our community can count on the Lowcountry Food Bank to provide disaster food relief where it is needed most.
With support from the Good Cheer Fund, during the holiday season the Lowcountry Food Bank distributes boxes of nutritious holiday food to seniors facing hunger in Charleston, Berkeley, Colleton, and Dorchester counties.
For more information, contact:
Kelly Kelley | email: kkelley@lcfbank.org | phone: (843) 747-8146 x154
or visit: www.lowcountryfoodbank.org.
Star Gospel Mission
For 118 years the Star Gospel Mission has been ministering to the poor, the needy and homeless men throughout the Low country. The Mission provides transitional housing for up to 30 men who are seeking to make significant changes in their lives and experience a transformation that will place on the right path in life and provide them with a much brighter future. The Mission also offers seasonal assistance to Tri-county residents with utility bills, medical expenses, dental and eye wear assistance, emergency transportation needs and food gift cards, all through the generosity of the Good Cheer Fund.
For more information, contact:
Reverend Dr. Marion Platt, III
Executive Director & Pastor, Star Gospel Mission
474 Meeting Street
Charleston, SC 29403
cell: 843.779.9596 office: 843.722.2473
http://stargospelmission.org/
ECCO
Founded as an emergency relief effort in 1989 after Hurricane Hugo’s devastation, East Cooper Community Outreach (ECCO) has since grown into a permanent resource providing assistance, guidance, and resources to help our neighbors navigate through life’s challenges. Whether it’s one single service provided like food or financial assistance, or years of walking through hardship, our team will encourage, advocate, and develop a system of support focused on providing help and hope.
All programs and services strive to help neighbors find a path toward opportunity. ECCO’s ministry of “Neighbors Helping Neighbors” aims to improve the quality of life in our community in a compassionate way that respects the dignity and worth of every person.
For more information, please contact Stephanie Kelley | email: skelley@eccocharleston.org | phone: (843) 416-7142 | website: www.eccocharleston.org.
One80 Place
One80 Place’s mission is to end and prevent homelessness. One80 Place believes that everyone deserves a home. Annually, One80 Place assists an average of 950 people in ending their homelessness. Through housing-focused case management, individuals and families experiencing homelessness are connected to resources with the ultimate goal of moving into a permanent place to call home.
In addition to housing-focused services, One80 Place operates a nightly shelter and daily community kitchen. The Community Kitchen is often the only source of food for many Lowcountry residents in need. Food in the Community Kitchen is obtained through our Food Rescue program and relies on generous donations from local grocery stores and restaurants.
Support from the Good Cheer Fund will be used to provide essential items for individuals and families as they move from the shelter or other temporary living situations into their own homes. Recognizing that some individuals and families will likely spend the holidays in the shelter, the Good Cheer Fund will help make the holidays brighter for those who are still working to move back into a home of their own.
For more information about One80 Place, visit www.one80place.com. If you are currently experiencing homelessness, call (843) 737-8357 or email help@one80place.org.
One80 Place
Operation Home has been serving the Tricounty community for 28 years. Annually, we serve over 1,100 families through our critical home repair, wheelchair ramp and heat and cold relief programs. Operation Home focuses our services on families with children, the disabled and seniors. The average monthly income for Operation Home families is $1,328. Operation Home collaborates with many area nonprofits, home rehabilitation facilities, social service agencies, and civic and religious groups. We are committed to ensuring that no person must live in a home that is inaccessible or unsafe.
For more information please contact Addison Poe | addison@operationhome.org | 843-991-5560 or visit https://www.operationhome.org
For more information about your tax deductible donation
or questions regarding the Good Cheer Fund,
please contact rscott@postandcourier.com or call (843) 937-5766.
Contributions may also be made by check and mailed to:
The Good Cheer Fund
148 Williman St., Charleston, S.C. 29403.