Wednesday, Nov. 04, 2009

Barbecue Fundraiser Helps Kids

Timing is critical in many endeavors, and that was the case for the nonprofit organization Fostering Hope. Founder and executive director Tabby Shelton gave a program on Fostering Hope to the Rotary Club of Little River.

Rotarians included Elliott Evans, a new member of the club, who was organizing a barbecue fundraiser to honor his late father-in-law, Scott Taylor, who died in March. Fostering Hope was soon designated a primary recipient of money raised by the barbecue. "It absolutely melted my heart," Evans says about Shelton's presentation on Fostering Hope, which serves on average 120 to 140 children a month. Fostering Hope provides new shoes, socks and underwear as well as gently used clothing, and other items such as school supplies and toys for younger children.

Shelton says volunteers distribute perhaps 800 trousers and 1,200 to 1,500 shirts every month. Like nearly every nonprofit in Brunswick County, N.C., and Georgetown and Horry counties, Fostering Hope depends on its volunteers. "We have a wonderful volunteer staff; we've been blessed," Shelton says. Volunteers sort through all donated clothing, organizing it by size and age. Most of the children served are referrals from the Department of Social Services, newborns to teens and all ages in between, but some are victims of home fires, referred by the Coastal S.C. Chapter of the American Red Cross. Fostering Hope also helps other nonprofits with clothing for children and works with a clothing bank. Donated towels that might be stained are given to the animal shelter.

Fostering Hope starts its sixth year in January. Tabby and Robert Shelton started Fostering Hope after their experience in adopting in 2002. The short version is that they saw a need of children going to foster care and set up Fostering Hope. Their twin sons, now 12 years old, are doing great, their mom says.

Fostering Hope, more so than some organizations, is dependent on donations. It is not a United Way member. Shelton says, "We're holding our own" on finances (about $40,000 a year) even in the face of donations being down by as much as 30 percent. Shelton says the most pressing need is sponsorships for holiday gifts. She says an individual recently gave $500, earmarked for shoes. "We love clearance racks," Shelton says.

Evans' timing was good, too, when he approached his friend Eric Richardson, co-owner of The Hagood House, a bed-and-breakfast in Aynor, about helping with the fundraiser. "He said, 'it's perfect timing - I've got meat' not cooked from an earlier event." Richardson donated "close to 400 pounds of pork," Evans says.

Little River Rotary President Erna Blome says the fundraiser was a success, taking in $3,300 before expenses. That's 470 meals, more than 200 delivered on advance sales. Evans' wife, Brooke, and Scott Taylor's other children were involved in delivering the meals. Those who knew Taylor say he would be pleased.

As another Rotarian said to Evans on Friday while pulling pork shoulders, "I think Scott is smiling."