Bucks for Backpack Buddies!

The Kiawah Women’s Foundation’s (KWF) annual fundraiser starts in February! Known in the  past as the Gorski Challenge, the KWF reaches out to the community for support once a year with the KWF’s Backpack Buddies Challenge, running this year from Feb. 1 – March 1,  2024!  

KWF works with three local schools – Angel Oak Elementary and Haut Gap Middle Schools on  Johns Island, and Frierson Elementary on Wadmalaw Island. These schools provide weekday  breakfasts and lunches to children from families with incomes below the poverty level. KWF’s Backpack Buddies program extends that support through the weekend. Each week KWF volunteers pack and deliver up to 300 bags containing 12 hearty snacks for children to take home on Fridays. Feedback about the Backpack Buddies program from parents, schools, and students has been appreciative and positive in all regards! 

KWF also supports local students with a teen holiday gift project for 110 students, a toiletry drive, a dental kit drive, and sponsorship of the high school women’s softball team; KWF also addresses urgent needs when emergencies occur. All programs are supported by the generosity of the Kiawah community.  

Hunger lives 5 miles away. Rising food costs are just one of the many strains on the struggling families KWF serves. Sponsoring a child for the school year costs $250. Any contribution helps  meet the needs of local students, supporting their ability to thrive and learn. Donations can be made on the KWF website at kiawahwomensfoundation.org or by check payable to Kiawah Women’s Foundation, 130 Gardeners Circle, PMB I, Johns Island, SC 29455. All donations are tax deductible.