Our Story

We help feed the young through various Back Pack Buddy Programs, including Antioch Educational Center that supports pre-school children enrolled in Head Start programs in Jasper County; Bluffton Back Pack Buddies, and Hunger Coalition HHI. We help feed others throughout the Low Country – Sandalwood Community Food Pantry, Second Helpings, St. Andrews by the Sea Soup Kitchen, Bluffton Self Help, Help of Beaufort, St. Stephens Food Pantry, and more. As people age or become disabled, we support Meals on Wheels. There is a tremendous and growing need to feed the hungry in Beaufort and Jasper counties. It’s fun to note that several of our Church Mouse volunteers also devote their time and talent to St. Andrews Soup Kitchen.

We provide grants to The Children’s Center, St. Luke’s Pre-School, and the Sandbox who help the very young, including wee ones as young as six weeks old thru Pre-school years. Numerous non-profits that help elementary age through college age students are also supported by our hard work, including Agape Family Life, Brain Gain, Friends of Shanklin, Heroes of the Low Country (scholarships), Real Champions (mentoring programs from K – 12), NOC, and more. These young people are often the most vulnerable or underserved in our community.

A new Church Mouse grant recipient this year is Habitat for Humanity. Our grant dollars will be combined with gifts from churches in the low country to build a “Faith based House” for a deserving family. We give to non-profits in the area to help provide home repairs to enable people to safely remain in their homes, like Helping Hand Center in Jasper County. We joined with Deep Well to provide rental or mortgage assistance to allow people to remain in their homes.

Probably our largest category of giving in terms of number of organizations, the Church Mouse supports many non-profits that provide care for those with physical or mental challenges, those who are disabled, young people who may be suffering from abuse or victims of human trafficking, those who do not have financial resources to obtain legal services, and first responders and veterans who may be suffering from PTSD to help prevent suicide through retreat programs and recreational therapy. The work and names of these charities are familiar to many of us, such as: Child Abuse Prevention Association (CAPA), Community Foundation of the Low Country (Nurse Retention Program), Fresh Start Healing Heart, HHI Safe Harbor, Hopeful Horizons, Low Country Legal Volunteers, Memory Matters, Mission Vision, Operation Patriots, the Pregnancy Center, Osprey Village, PEP (Programs for Exceptional People), Pockets Full of Sunshine, Special Olympics, and more. Several Church Mouse volunteers, and/or their spouses volunteer at Low Country Legal Volunteers, Mission Vision, Operation Patriots, PEP, and Pockets Full of Sunshine.

Many young people throughout the Low Country are lifted up spiritually, groomed for leadership roles, and come to know Christ through organizations we support. Several non-profits who serve our youth are allowed to go into the schools, private and public, and meet young people “where they are.” Child Evangelism Fellowship has a focus on elementary age children, through their “Good News Clubs” and provides a camp opportunity for about ten children. The Fellowship of Christian Athletes programs noted on our giving sheet, welcome all young people, athletes or not, believers or not, into this organization. Young Life finds teens who are often in dark places, from all socio-economic levels, and brings hope and community to them. Young Life has a camp program and other Christian clubs including one for single teen mothers or mothers to be. The Esther Project provides financial assistance to help pay utility bills, rental assistance, and gift cards for food to help families and individuals in need due to job loss, extended illness, etc.

Our reach goes far beyond the Low Country to care for those in need. We provide care for orphans and those who minister to them in Honduras – Jericho Ministries; Tanzania – The Valentine Project; Viet Nam – Clara’s House; and Love and Grace Ministries – Haiti. This is a critical part of our International giving that can include safe housing, places of worship, education & spiritual growth, food, etc. We gave a special gift in 2024 to The Anglican Relief Development Fund to provide supplies to the victims of Hurricane Helene in western North Carolina. Other grants went to a ministry in Kenya (through Grace Community Church in HHI), to assist in building a home for the Director of Ministry and his family, that will also serve as a center for ministry activities. The minister visited the Church Mouse last year to give his thanks. We also supported NAMS (New Anglican Missionary Network) and New Wineskins Missionary Network, both devoted to missionary work around the world to include persecuted Christians and victims of human trafficking.

Character Restoration Initiative, an organization that serves men who are incarcerated at Allendale Prison, has been supported by our volunteer efforts for many years. Its purpose is to reduce recidivism through rehabilitation programs that offer addiction recovery, education, spiritual opportunities, and vocational training. This holistic approach to restore character and values has been life-changing for men who are released from prison. The next time you are in the Mouse, take a look at two stunning pottery vases that the Allendale men crafted for us in one of their vocational classes. They are near the cashier station. Mouse volunteers, past and present, clergy and members of Saint Luke’s, and others in the community volunteer weekly at Allendale.