KIAWAH WOMEN'S FOUNDATION
Hunger lives five miles away
Backpack Buddies
The mission of Backpack Buddies is to proactively combat childhood hunger in “at-risk” children without calling undue attention to these students in the school setting. Each Thursday during the school year, Kiawah Women’s Foundation volunteers gather at our packing center to prepare backpacks filled with shelf-stable foods the children can prepare on their own. The volunteers deliver the backpacks to Angel Oak Elementary School and Haut Gap Middle School on John’s Island, and Frierson Elementary School on Wadmalaw Island. These packs are slipped into the child’s backpack, and sent home with the child on Friday to sustain them over the weekend.
We are able to serve the children in this program through generous donations and grants from the public, community merchants, the town of Kiawah, KICA, and our wonderful volunteers.
Teen Hygiene Project
In January 2023, the KWF organized a Hygiene Project for the first time. Sturdy backpacks were generously donated and filled with full size shampoo, conditioner, body wash, body lotion, face wash, deodorant, toothpaste, toothbrushes, and hair products. The backpacks were gifted to 50 students at the high school and middle school identified by the CIS counselors.
In addition, the CIS counselor at Haut Gap middle school was given a supply of hygiene products to keep on hand for emergency needs. This supply will continue to be stocked in the future.
Holiday Teen Project
Kiawah Women’s Foundation has been providing holiday gifts for teens on John’s and Wadmalaw Islands since 2015. Our program concentrates on providing John’s Island middle and high-school children with a few luxuries on Christmas morning.
Each year 100 students identified by The Community-in-Schools social workers from Haut Gap Middle School and St. John’s High School receive a holiday gift. KWF volunteers wrap all of the gifts.
We invite you to become part of this program by donating or volunteering your time. To donate you can click the donate button on the bottom of the webpage, or send a check to KWF.
St. John's High School Softball Team
Kiawah Women's Foundation supported the St. John's High School Softball Team in the 2022 season by supplementing uniforms and equipment and providing snacks for all 22 team members!
Middle School Book Groups
Kiawah Women's Foundation financially supports book clubs at the middle school. The Kiawah resident volunteer leaders choose books with the social worker and students. The students give up their lunch hour once a week in order to participate. The Kiawah Women's Foundation provides the books for all of our middle school readers which has grown from 15 to 40 book club members!