Backpack Buddies Seabrook Island is dedicated to fighting childhood hunger among students in Charleston County, SC public schools. Each Thursday, we provide nutritious weekend food to children living below the poverty line, helping them return to school ready to learn.
Founded in May 2014, our all-volunteer 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizes a weekly operation at the Oyster Catcher Community Center. Volunteers shop for food, set up packing stations, assemble 13-item food bags, and deliver them to schools. For the 2024–2025 school year, we served 352 children at Mt. Zion Elementary, St. Johns High, and Lambs Elementary—distributing over 13,000 bags of food.
In 2025–2026, with Mt. Zion’s closure and the opening of Johns Island Elementary, our program will expand to support 425 children at Angel Oak, Johns Island, and Lambs Elementary. Backpack Buddies Kiawah will take over support of St. Johns High.
With this growth, we’ll need more volunteers, especially shoppers, packers, drivers, and set-up crew. Volunteering is flexible, meaningful, and a great way to meet fellow Seabrookers while making a real difference.
Our $100,000 annual budget is funded by grants and our August Annual Fundraising Campaign. We are deeply grateful for our generous community; 95 cents of every dollar donated goes directly toward food for the children we serve.
For more information, visit our website by clicking here or email us at backpackbuddiesseabrookisland@gmail.com or contact Tory Kindley at torykindley@gmail.com (469-231-3460).
To learn about all of the special interest groups on Seabrook Island, go to tidelinesblog.com, click on “Do You Know” from the drop-down menu, and select “About Special Interest Groups”.
-Submitted by Backpack Buddies
(Image credit:Backpackbuddiesseabrookisland.com)