It takes a community: Sustaining a mission when the need keeps growing

By Karen Owens, Publisher

This is the final installment of three‑part series on St. Christopher’s Children that has explored the organization’s mission and origins and the resale store that helps fund its work. Today’s article look at the community partnerships and fundraising efforts — including the upcoming Palmetto Giving Day — that allow St. Christopher’s Children to continue stepping in when no one else is there.

For St. Christopher’s Children, helping children in crisis has never been a one‑time effort. It is an ongoing commitment — one that depends on a carefully woven network of grants, fundraising events, community partners, and individual donors to remain viable year after year.

One of the organization’s most significant recent boosts came through a $64,800 Jones Cripps Grant awarded by the Frances P. Bunnelle Foundation. The funding allows St. Christopher’s to expand its orthodontic program, increasing the number of children served from 24 to 36. For students struggling with severe dental issues — and the social and academic challenges that often accompany them — the impact can be life‑changing.

But grant funding, while critical, is not permanent.

“Programs like orthodontic care are expensive, and once grant funding runs out, we still have to be there for these kids,” said Rev. Tiffany Slaughter Knight, executive director of St. Christopher’s Children. “That’s why sustainability is always on our minds.” 

To that end, St. Christopher’s relies on a diversified fundraising approach. The nonprofit participates annually in Palmetto Giving Day, a 36‑hour online giving campaign coordinated by the Bunnelle Foundation that brings together dozens of nonprofits competing for attention — and donations — during a narrow window. This year’s event, running from May 5 at 6 a.m. to May 6 at 6 p.m., will include nearly 80 participating organizations countywide.

For St. Christopher’s, standing out means emphasizing its hyper‑local reach. Every dollar raised goes directly to children identified through Georgetown County schools, and every program is built around partnerships with school nurses, churches, healthcare providers, and community volunteers.

Beyond large‑scale campaigns, grassroots generosity plays an equally important role. Local groups frequently choose St. Christopher’s Children as the beneficiary of fundraising events — from Mahjong tournaments to church drives — often pairing financial donations with collections of clothing and hygiene products. A recent Mahjong event in Pawleys Island, for example, raised $400 in raffle proceeds while also delivering much‑needed supplies.

The year rounds out with a Giving Tuesday campaign, which raised nearly $18,000 last fall, helping bridge the gap between major fundraising pushes.

Knight, who has been with the organization slightly more than a year, has focused on deepening these community relationships. As a participant in the Georgetown County Chamber of Commerce’s Leadership Georgetown County program, she has worked to broaden awareness of St. Christopher’s mission while strengthening existing partnerships with churches, foundations, and civic organizations.

Those partners include Georgetown Presbyterian Church, Precious Blood of Christ Catholic Church, St. Paul’s Waccamaw Methodist Church, the Yawkey Foundation, Youth Friends Association, and many individual donors who quietly support the work throughout the year.

Behind it all is a small staff, a committed board of directors, and an organization powered largely by volunteers — individuals who shop for children’s clothing, staff the resale store, sort donations, and help ensure that help reaches the children who need it most.

“The need doesn’t slow down,” Knight said. “So we can’t either.”

Final thoughts

At its core, St. Christopher’s Children is about meeting children where they are — whether that means a warm coat in winter, a new pair of shoes, or the orthodontic care that allows a child to smile without pain or shame.

In a county where many challenges remain unseen, the organization continues to rely on community awareness, participation, and generosity to keep its promise: to step in when no one else is there, one child at a time.