Helping Out highlights some of the many charitable events and activities going on in the Charleston area. Submissions should be sent to dailyjournal@scbiznews.com.
The 10th annual First Day Festival is 1-4 p.m. Aug. 19 at Liberty Square at the South Carolina Aquarium and Charleston Maritime Center. The event provides local children with the supplies needed to start a new school year. The event, hosted by the city of Charleston, is expected to give 7,000 backpacks for Charleston County students. Volunteers are needed for festival setup, to assist in the kid’s zone and boat rides, as festival greeters, to help with exhibitor setup and to help with parking/traffic. Volunteers are also needed to sort and pack school supplies. Anyone interested in volunteering should complete an application by Aug. 8. Businesses are encouraged to organize a drive and collect school supplies through Aug. 10. Learn more about how to get involved. For questions, contact volunteer coordinator Hatti Pringle at 843-965-4190.
This year’s Folly Beach Charity Basketball Tournament will benefit Crisis Ministries. The 10- to 20-team tournament is noon to 7 p.m. Sept. 15 and 12:30 to 6:30 p.m. Sept. 16 at Folly Beach Pirate’s Cove Park, 506 E. Erie Ave. Register by Aug. 1 and pay $45 per team; after that the price is $75 per team. Registration deadline is Aug. 25. S.C. 3 on 3 was created by a group of friends and businesses looking to play competitive basketball while being able to raise money for people in need around Charleston.
 The MUSC Mobile Health Unit will give free skin cancer screenings next month at Splash Zone Waterpark. (Photo/Provided) |
Charleston County Parks have partnered with the Medical University of South Carolina to spread the word about skin safety. Dermatologists on the MUSC Mobile Health Unit — a fully equipped doctor’s office on wheels — will offer a free skin cancer screening from 9 a.m. to noon Aug. 11 at Splash Zone Waterpark at James Island County Park. No appointment is necessary. For more information, call MUSC Health Connection at 843-792-1414.
A second grant from Create Jobs for USA will allow Lowcountry Housing Trust to make greater strides in adding more jobs in the Lowcountry. Create Jobs for USA, a collaboration between Starbucks and Opportunity Finance Network, or OFN, presented Lowcountry Housing Trust its first grant in February for $20,000. The additional funding brings its total investment to $34,500.
Lowcountry Housing Trust is a North Charleston-based community lender dedicated to encouraging and funding affordable housing. The funding from OFN will help Lowcountry Housing Trust create and sustain jobs in the area as part of a national campaign to support community businesses in underserved communities.
Funding from Create Jobs for USA has already been dispersed to the local community. Lowcountry Housing Trust recently made a $250,000 loan to BCD Affordable Housing LLC to purchase and rehabilitate a six-unit apartment complex in downtown Charleston.
