Palmetto Place celebrates grand reopening

Palmetto Place Children’s Shelter held an open house to at their newly renovated shelter with donors, volunteers and supporters on Sept. 22.

After six months of construction, the doors to Palmetto Place reopened for elementary and middle school children who have been abused or neglected. Lambert Architecture and Hood Construction completed the renovation and expansion of the 100-year-old house, while meticulously blending old and new craftsmanship throughout.

Palmetto Place’s expansion added additional bedrooms allowing the organization to care for up to 30 children at one time. An open kitchen leads to a spacious dining room and living room, making it easier to see the entire living space at once. The expansion also added room for quiet work areas and reading nooks, which the children have already taken advantage of.

The $1 million project was funded by numerous families, churches, family foundations and corporations in the Midlands. The Junior Woman’s Club of Columbia and the Midlands Home Society began the campaign with lead gifts in the spring of 2015.

“The need in our community for a safe and loving home for these children and teens is growing,” said Erin Hall, Executive Director. “We turned away too many children for too long, simply because we didn’t have the space. Now we can open our two homes and care for children and teens who need us.”

If you were one of the 7,000 children who lived at Palmetto Place, we would love to hear from you. Please email s[email protected] or call 803-786-6819. To find out how you can get involved and make a difference in a child’s life visit palmettoplaceshelter.org.

Palmetto Place is a home for abused and neglected children and homeless teens from across the state of South Carolina. The renovated home houses elementary and middle school children, while a second house is home to high school and college students. Palmetto Place provides a safe and nurturing environment where residents have access to after-school programs, tutoring, recreational and social activities and much more. The shelter offers a broad range of services that concentrate on personal healing and development including medical attention, mental health care, crisis adjustment and transitional counseling. Since the shelter opened in 1977 more than 7,000 children and teens have called it home.