Next Monday and Tuesday, we would normally be welcoming hundreds of children and their families to Second Presbyterian in the loving hand-to-hand distribution of Hands of Christ. With the challenge of COVID-19 this year, we are adapting our model to ensure safety and appropriate social distancing. Hands of Christ has faced several challenges this year, the greatest of which has not been the need to provide contactless distribution. In a normal year, the organization would have purchased enough clothing to donate 10,000 pairs of pants, polo shirts, pairs of underwear and socks. This spring, the global supply chain has been at a virtual stand-still, so it was impossible to source the clothing to host a traditional distribution—even if we could have worked through the challenges of a face-to-face event. Thankfully, with a small order of available clothing and a generous back-stock in the storage facility at Westminster Church, we will be able to serve 2,000 Charleston County school children with one uniform, a pair of underwear, socks and school supplies.
To meet the needs of social distancing and safety for our most vulnerable population, we will be receiving orders from Charleston County elementary and middle schools for up to 40 children per school. Hands of Christ operations team members will fill the orders at Westminster Church on Sam Rittenberg Blvd. in West Ashley and seal them in paper bags. Volunteers from Second will be asked to support the downtown/peninsula schools, picking up the bags and driving them to the schools, where staff will be distribute them to the children. Based on prior years’ activity, we may be asked to support up to 9 locations.
The timeline has not been finalized; but once schools reopen, we will begin to receive orders. We anticipate needing volunteers during the fall, but everything will depend on how quickly the process falls into place. Depending on the number children identified at each school, we may need 2 volunteers to assist with each order. Bags will be filled only after Second communicates with the school and arranges for a delivery date. We may need help communicating with the schools as well as picking up and delivering the bags of clothing. Optimally, pick up will occur in the afternoon, as Westminster will be busy with their own church activity during the day. Delivery will take place the following school day, based on timing at Westminster and the availability of staff at the school to receive and distribute the clothing. Hands of Christ will develop guidelines for pickup and delivery, which could include masks, gloves and hand sanitizer. Delivery will likely take place outside of the school, to prevent contact between the volunteers and school staff & children. Even though some of the details are still fluid, the Charleston County School District has agreed with these general guidelines and is extremely grateful for our support.
While this will be a very different year for Hands of Christ, we are blessed to have the resources to provide support for our neighboring school children; and the personal delivery, church-to-school, can help foster a closer relationship between our Church and area schools. If you are interested in volunteering, please sign up or contact David Savard for more specifics and he will let you know when the process begins. We anticipate needing volunteers during September and October, but the timeline may change based on receipt of information from the schools and time to complete the orders.
Thank you for your support of Hands of Christ and this vital mission of Second Presbyterian.
UPDATE: More clothing items requested for donation! Find out more here →
