News and Stories

CHRYSTAL’S STORY
After Hurricane Irma, Chrystal Rivera’s home in Tampa, Florida was destroyed. Her family of ten (10), including her mother and husband, were left homeless. She began applying to many organizations for help, but received no answer. Finally, a neighbor told her about Bluffton Self Help and she decided to give us a call. Immediately, we told her to come over.
The Rivera family arrived with no belongings, no employment, and no place to stay. To begin their new life, they were able to use our food pantry, clothing and financial aid. We made it our job to make sure they felt welcomed. Chrystal said, “We arrived in November and it was very cold. My family had nothing to keep us warm. I am grateful Bluffton Self Help was able to provide us with warm clothing, especially for our infant, along with everything else we needed.” Today, Chrystal works at Parker’s and is studying to become a chef. Bluffton Self Help continues to help her family by providing them with food and clothes when they need it. Our community looks forward to helping Chrystal settle down in what we hope will become her forever home. We are overjoyed to see Chrystal and her family looking towards a brighter future.

Special THANK YOU to Hilton Head Hospital staff and visitors who collected over 700 boxes of cereal to share with food pantries in the area. Bluffton Self Help was the lucky recipient of 250 boxes and, believe us when we say, these boxes of cereal will go flying out our doors.2016-hospital cereal driveClients find that buying cereal is very expensive and local neighbors need cereal for their children’s nutrition and good health.
Hilton Head Hospital is a community hospital. There motto is to do everything they can to help with health and wellness goals. Collecting cereal does the trick. Thank you for every box of nutrition you delivered to Bluffton Self Help!

A special thank you is extended toWells Fargo for their recent grant toward Bluffton Self Help’s workshop program. This program offers financial fitness classes to our neighbors to move them out of poverty and help educate them on becoming self -reliant. Workshops are also offered on nutrition, home maintenance, job skills, English and weekly music therapy program for children with autism. With support from local businesses Bluffton Self Help can further its mission to provide free food, clothing and emergency financial assistance to our neighbors in greater Bluffton while supporting self-reliance. Bluffton Self Help is a United Way agency.

Summer is just around the corner with all of its bountiful goodness! Is your shopping list ready? Time to head to Whole Foods Market on Hilton Head Island and pick out your fresh flavors of summer! In addition to healthy organic selections and the delicious summer produce, we have another great reason for you to shop at Whole Foods Market on Tuesday, June 2 from 8 am to 10 pm! June 2 is COMMUNITY GIVING DAY and 5 percent of store sales from this special day are designated to Bluffton Self Help! Those summer fruits and vegetables will taste even better now that you know you’re helping your neighbors while you shop! Funds received this day will benefit Bluffton Self Help’s mission to help Bluffton neighbors in critical need of short-term financial assistance, free food and clothing, while supporting them to become more self-reliant. Now…that tomato pie and squash casserole will be the tastiest ever!

Bluffton, SC: May 1, 2015: Buffton Self Help, will be a local recipient and participant in Lowcountry Giving Day 2015, a 24-hour online fundraising event sponsored by Coastal Community Foundation. Thanks to the generosity of a local donor who pledged a $4,000 match for the May 5th event, these funds will support our local neighbors suffering from food insecurity and emergency financial crisis. “This is our first year to participate in this local giving campaign that demonstrates on-line giving,” said Lili Coleman, executive director of Bluffton Self Help. “We are excited to see how our supporters and the community responds to on-line giving.” A special event is planned from noon to 2 pm at Bluffton Self Help. The Cinco de Mayo Giving Hours will have volunteers standing by to assist with on-line giving and offer chips and dips donated by Chipotle Restaurant. “Everyone is welcomed,” said Coleman. Coleman is also urging people to ‘burn the midnight oil” in the wee hours of May 5 to make their donation on line as early as possible. “The first five agencies that receive 150 new unique donations (who have not given to Coastal Community Foundation for Bluffton Self Help) qualify Bluffton Self Help to win $5,000.” “This campaign comes during a critical time of the year when the needs expand for the elderly facing increased utility bills due to the heat, mothers’ seeking child care assistance because school is out and parents preparing for back-to school expenses,” said Coleman. 180 nonprofits are participating alongside Bluffton Self Help in this year’s event, nearly doubling participation from last year’s event, which raised over $4 million for communities across coastal South Carolina. Lowcountry Giving Day is part of Give Local America, a national day of local giving held in partnership with over 8,000 nonprofits and 80 community foundations from across the country. Because of this broad partnership, Give Local America 2015 is gearing up to be the largest fundraising event in history. To support Bluffton Self Help on Lowcountry Giving Day, visit http://lowcountrygivingday.org//#npo/bluffton-self-help-inc on May 5th to make your gift. For a full list of Lowcountry Giving Day participants visit https://lowcountrygivingday.org/#leaderboard. Questions about other ways to support Bluffton Self Help through Lowcountry Giving Day can be directed to Lili Coleman at lili@blufftonselfhelp.org or by phone at 843-757-8886. Founded in 1987, Bluffton Self Help’s mission is to help Bluffton neighbors in critical need of short term financial assistance, food and clothing, while supporting them to become more self-reliant.###

May 5 is Lowcountry Giving Day and your donation of $50 means a lot to people living on minimum wages. What can $50 provide, you ask…. $50 can help a client catch up on their bills. If it is not the full amount, it still counts. They can avoid racking up anymore late fees, can’t they?$50 buys socks and underwear for a family, providing hygiene and cleanliness! $50 can gas up a car, truck or van to find a job or keep a job. With $50 a client can go grocery shopping for those items they can’t get in the food pantry especially milk, dairy and cheese products. $50 pays for an oil change to keep a car running efficiently. And $50 buys much needed toiletries and grooming products! $50 doesn’t go far but it is a great gift to Bluffton Self Help to help us help our neighbors. Give $25 or $50 on May 5 by logging onto www.lowcountrygivingday.com. Search for Bluffton Self Help on the home page and click on our name to make a donation. It’s that easy! Not comfortable giving on line? Send a check to Bluffton Self Help made out to Coastal Community Foundation and we will get it in the mail between April 21 to 24. Or, you can stop by Bluffton Self Help between noon and 2 pm on May 5, enjoy some chips and dips and we can assist you on our computers! We might even have some alcohol-free sangria! We’d love to see you! Visit the Bluffton Self Help table at Bluffton Farmer’s Market to pick up your post card telling you how to give. BSH volunteers will be on site in downtown Bluffton Thursday, April 23 and April 30 in a big red tent. Learn how you can participate in May 5 Lowcountry Giving Day. Our goal is to obtain 20 $50 donations on May 5! Low country Giving Day is a LOCAL 24-hour online giving challenge sponsored by the Coastal Community Foundation. Bluffton Self Help has been challenged to raise $4,000. REMINDER: Saturday, May 9 is the annual FEED THE HUNGRY US Postal Drive. Remember to place nonperishables by your mailbox. Last year over 60,000 pounds of food kept Bluffton Self Help clients with food until September.