Kiawah Cares : A Look Back at 2016
Kiawah Cares ( KC ) is a community outreach program coordinated by KICA . KC partners with nonprofits , schools and faithbased organizations that serve Johns and Wadmalaw islands to celebrate the community , as well as work together to address social issues on the islands . The mission of KC is to create community partnerships and contribute to improving the overall quality of life on the Sea Islands . The 501 ( c ) 3 Kiawah Cares Foundation ( KCF ) serves as the funding mechanism for the outreach program .
2016 featured some major initiatives made possibly by YOU , our Kiawah property owners . “ Thank you ” cannot adequately express our gratitude , or that of our community partners ; please know that you are making a true difference on the Sea Islands .
A Focus on Literacy
Every year , KCF donors fund important initiatives on the Sea Islands , such as educational trips for students and much needed items for seniors . In May 2016 , KCF launched its first ever Kiawah Giving Month with the goal of raising $ 48,000 to fully fund literacy programs on the Sea Islands , an on-going focal point for Kiawah Cares .
Unsurprisingly , our members responded . Gifts totaling over $ 36,000 were made to KCF during the month of May , helping KCF reach 76 % of its goal . These generous gifts helped fund the participation of the three lower grades in Angel Oak Elementary School ’ s summer reading and math program , fully funded the Begin With Books program for a 12-month period , and funded the distribution of Reading Partners ’ summer reading packs for 58 Sea Island students .
KCF is so grateful to everyone who made a gift to support these important programs and to improve the lives of the young participants . When you make literacy your legacy , everyone wins .
Literacy Has a Guardian Angel
In December 2016 , KCF and the Sea Islands received an early Christmas present ! A generous gift by an association member to KCF led to the formation of the Sarah Burns Barden Angel Literacy Initiative at Angel Oak Elementary School . This initiative continues KC ’ s focus on improving literacy on the Sea Islands .
Once officially launched , the initiative will include :
• A family reading section in an area of the school ’ s Media Center , providing children ’ s and adult reading material .
• The purchase of books for a school-wide reading program , the Million Minutes Reading Challenge . Books are given as rewards to students as they reach their monthly reading goals .
• Support for the summer reading and math literacy program which will repeat for 2017 , helping to bridge the gap in comprehension loss experienced over the summer .
For more information on the initiative , contact KC at Kiawahcares @ kica . us .
Unexpected Generosity
KCF was graced with several substantial , unexpected gifts at the end of 2016 . Through major donors like the Kelly Family Foundation , Ziegler Family Foundation , Phillip Van Every Foundation and Kiawah ’ s own Best Friends Fund , a number of critical needs will be funded . The 2017 summer literacy programs for Angel Oak Elementary , Begin with Books and Reading Partners have already received a large part of their needed funding . Significant structural repairs will be made to nearly a dozen substandard homes , allowing widows and families to remain in their homes . Wadmalaw Island ’ s Ho Non Wah Boy Scout Camp , devastated during Hurricane Matthew , has been fully restored . Every child from a small island church experienced a Christmas they would never have had . And so much more .
Getting involved is easy and does not require an ongoing time commitment .