Share the love during this season of giving
With the holidays right around the corner, this season of giving is the perfect time to help those in need. The Daniel Island Community Foundation, along with the Daniel Island Property Owners Association (POA) and the Daniel Island Community Fund (DICF), makes it easy to support local nonprofit organizations.
According to Carina Buckman, a resident advisor for the foundation, “We’re trying to encourage people to give via the foundation as they consider where they are going to donate at year’s end.” In 2019, the foundation chose to shine a light on 12 different nonprofit organizations. “Each month of the year we highlight one of the charities, in hopes to raise additional awareness,” Buckman explained.
The worthy groups selected were Water Missions International, HALOS, Camp Happy Days, Philip Simmons High School PTA, The Humanities Foundation, SC Future Minds, Berkeley County Animal Center, Abby’s Friends, East Cooper Land Trust, Charleston Waterkeeper, East Cooper Community Outreach, and Carolina Youth Development Center. The DICF will match the amount up to $5,000 of donations recieved per organization.
The Daniel Island Community Fund was established as a means for supporting community enhancement projects and philanthropic initiatives on Daniel Island and in the surrounding Cainhoy peninsula communities. This private 501 (c) 4 organization is financially supported by a fee on all resale transactions on the island. When a property is sold, .5% of the transaction goes into the fund. The foundation was established to serve as an extension of the fund in order to increase the scope of what DICF can support. A certain amount of the fund is allotted to match money raised by the foundation, and Buckman described the two as “related but separate.” Last year the fund awarded more than $647,500 in grants to local community events and initiatives.
Buckman and Elizabeth Perkis have worked to get the foundation organized in the last two years and as resident advisors they help the POA with planning, identifying charities, getting information from residents, and spreading the word to the community about the many philanthropic opportunities available. This holiday season, the foundation is selling special merchandise that will make great gifts for teachers, coworkers or college students. All proceeds from the merchandise will go toward supporting East Cooper Community Outreach and Carolina Youth Development Center. All sales from the holiday festival will also be matched and then doubled by the fund, Buckman said. Purchase the special merchandise at the Daniel Island POA Office or at the upcoming Holiday Festival to be held on Saturday, Dec. 7, from 11 a.m. - 4 p.m. at Volvo Car Stadium. Items for sale include festive “Daniel Island” ceramic campfire mugs for $10 and cotton canvas tote bags that are $5 for the small size and $10 for large.
Originally from a small island in England, Buckman has lived in the United States for some time now, and moved to Daniel Island with her family in 2014. In the last five years, she has immersed herself in the community through church, Girl Scouts and other service organizations. Since the matching program of the foundation is fairly new, Buckman acknowledged that the organization is still learning the best ways to raise money.
In October, their efforts led to a successful fundraiser for Hurricane Dorian relief efforts in the Bahamas, with more than $21,000 in donations. In 2020, events through the foundation will aim to increase levels of engagement in the community, Buckman said. For now, additional opportunities to share the love this holiday season include participating in a food drive and a toy drive. The foundation is collecting non-perishable food items, toiletries, baby supplies, and more for the Lowcountry Blessing Boxes until Monday, Nov. 25. And in December, unwrapped toys collected will benefit MUSC Children’s Hospital and Lowcountry Orphan Relief. Attendees of the new holiday tree lighting event at Guggenheim Terrace on Thursday, Dec. 5, are also encouraged to bring an unwrapped toy.
Anyone interested in making an end of the year donation in order to get that last-minute tax break can give to one of the 2019 highlighted charities. Donate to any of the organizations through their GoFundMe pages listed on the POA website at danielisland.com, or drop off a check at the POA office located at 130 River Landing Drive, Suite 1C. Please make the check payable to the “Daniel Island Community Foundation” and add the name of the nonprofit in the memo section. Charities that don’t meet the minimum matching goal of $2,000 will not be considered for next year’s foundation plan. If the goal is met for all 12 charities, the fund’s contribution could total up to $120,000. For more information, visit the philanthropy section of the POA website at danielisland.com/community.
NONPROFITS IN NEED These charities still need to meet their minimum matching goal of $2,000 for 2019. Money raised via the foundation will be matched by the Daniel Island Community Fund up to $5,000. Here is a total of how much each group has raised as of press time: • HALOS: $3,500 • Camp Happy Days: $600 • Philip Simmons High School PTA: $800 • The Humanities Foundation: $3,934 • SC Future Minds: $0 • Abby’s Friends: $150 • East Cooper Land Trust: $50 • Charleston Waterkeeper: $0 • East Cooper Community Outreach: $0 • Carolina Youth Development Center: $415
UPDATED: This story was updated on 11.26.19 to correct a name spelling, and to reflect that the Daniel Island Community Fund will match up to $5,000 for each nonprofit, there is not a minimum of $2,000. Also, when any property is resold, there is a 0.5% community enhancement fee. And, to clarify, the Daniel Island Community Foundation was established at the same time as the fund and is not new, but the matching campaign and increased resident involvement in the foundation is fairly new.