Helping Out for Nov. 20, 2019

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Helping Out highlights some of the many charitable events and activities going on in the Charleston area. ATTENTION: Submissions should now be made using our online form.

Nearly 500 sailors from the Naval Nuclear Power Training Command at Joint Base Charleston volunteered at Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum as part of the Trident United Way’s Day of Caring on Friday.

Work included more than two dozen projects on the warships, the Vietnam Experience exhibit and landscaping around the museum’s property. Projects include aircraft and tour route cleaning, trash pickup, flight deck painting, museum dusting, nature trail trimming and pressure washing.

Eight area Lowe’s home improvement retail stores collaborated in October to renovate the Carolina Youth Development Center’s North Charleston campus through their Lowe’s Heroes program. The renovated facility will provide counseling and support services for families at risk of intervention from the S.C. Department of Social Services.

The George Williams Building will be the site of the Carolina Youth Development Center’s Community Based Programs team, whose family support services disrupt dysfunctional behavioral patterns and reduce the risk of abuse or neglect in families. The Carolina Youth Development Center expects to serve over 700 individuals annually through the family support center.

Collaborating Lowe’s locations include Goose Creek, Summerville, Northwest Charleston, North Charleston, West Ashley, James Island and both Mount Pleasant stores.  The Lowe’s team expects to complete the project today.

Mount Pleasant Towne Centre is hosting a holiday fundraiser at 6 p.m. Saturday in partnership with Camp Rise Above, a local organization that provides camp experiences to children with serious illnesses, disabilities and other challenges.

Lights Up, on Belk Drive, will include a laser light show, live performances, giveaways from Towne Centre stores and the lighting of the 40-foot-tall Christmas tree. Camp Rise Above volunteers will be selling Christmas tree wands and Christmas bulb necklaces.

Guests can enjoy snacks and beverages, and activities for children will also be available.

Kids Teeth is hosting a food drive for I Heart Hungry Kids, a local nonprofit that empowers kids to beat hunger through hands-on service, community outreach and food advocacy.

Both Kids Teeth locations in Mount Pleasant will have photos with Santa and Mrs. Claus at no charge on Dec. 5. Families are encouraged to bring nonperishable canned or shelf-stable food items, including canned meats, canned soups, cereal, or boxes of pasta and rice.

Santa will be available from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the 1073 Johnnie Dodds Blvd. office and from 2 to 4 p.m. at the Park West location, 1130 Professional Lane.

Children will also be able to make holiday cards that will be donated along with the food items collected.

Donations can be dropped off at either Kids Teeth location until Dec. 20. Food items should be unexpired and unopened.

Lowcountry Local First was named as Bank of America’s inaugural Neighborhood Champion awardee for the area, receiving $50,000 in grant support and an opportunity for virtual leadership training delivered by experts in the nonprofit sector.

Neighborhood Champions is an extension of the bank’s Neighborhood Builders initiative.

Lowcountry Local First was chosen based on their efforts toward cultivating an economy anchored in local ownership and fostering a better environment for creating and sustaining local businesses.

Kahuna Poke Bar is hosting a Sushi-thon fundraiser for My Sister’s House from Thursday until Jan. 1.   

The restaurant, at 976 Houston Northcutt Blvd. in Mount Pleasant, will launch a sushi scavenger hunt, in which locals will look for “sushi squishy emojis” spread throughout Mount Pleasant. Customers will receive a free specialty sushi roll for each one returned, and the restaurant will match it by donating a meal to a resident of My Sister’s House. 

Twenty percent of sushi sales during this time will also be donated to the residents of My Sister’s House to fund any additional resource needs.   

Kahuna Poke Bar aims to give at least 100 meals to residents during the holiday season and to raise at least $2,000 to be donated to My Sister’s House.