Hundreds of South Carolina children will have new art supplies this summer thanks to the generosity of Budget and Control Board employees.
Six South Carolina charities are receiving crayons, markers, paper and other school-related inventory left over when the state Central Supply program closed last year. Because the items were purchased with public funds, they couldn’t be given directly to charity and were slated for public sale at the Board’s Surplus Property warehouse.
That’s when Budget and Control Board employees stepped in. Hundreds of workers contributed a total of more than $1,700 as part of a one-day “Crayons for Kids” fundraiser June 1.
The campaign collected enough money to buy all the art supplies requested by the six charities. Due to the overwhelming response from Board employees, the organizations will also receive vouchers to buy other items at the Surplus Property Warehouse in Springdale.
“Thanks to the generosity of our employees, we are able to provide these supplies to some of the children South Carolina’s who will benefit from them the most,” said Budget and Control Board Executive Director Frank Fusco. “We hope that these charities and others will also take the opportunity to learn how our Surplus Property program can help them stretch their operating dollars every day.”
Qualified non-profit organizations can register for purchasing privileges at the Surplus Property warehouse on Boston Ave. that allow them to buy items before they are made available to the general public. Interested groups can go to www.scsurplusproperty.com for more information.
Non-profit groups participating in Crayons for Kids are:
- The Family Shelter, Columbia, which provides services exclusively to families in the Midlands.
- The Ryan Crout Art Therapy Program, a part of Children’s Chance, which offers children with cancer an opportunity to express their creativity, desire for normalcy and hope through drawing and painting.
- Nancy K. Perry Children’s Shelter, Lexington, which has provided safe harbor for thousands of children in Lexington County since 1972.
- A Child’s Haven, Greenville, is a specialized therapeutic treatment program for children with developmental delays or behavior problems.
- Children’s Place, Aiken which serves 120 children up to age 12 with comprehensive early intervention services for children and their families.
- Lowcountry Orphan Relief, Charleston, is a non-profit organization that provides services to children and families and works directly with neglected children and provides services including providing clothes, toiletries and school supplies for children entering the foster care system.