Charleston FYI

Menu

donate

What's Trending

Help the Community by Donating to a Blood Center in Charleston

Featured Source Image: The American Red Cross

Looking for a small way to help others during the coronavirus crisis? The American Red Cross has an ongoing critical need for blood donations during the pandemic to help those affected, as well as other patients. Although many blood drives in Charleston and across the country are being cancelled, the Red Cross urges healthy individuals to schedule an appointment in their area to give lifesaving blood, platelets or AB Elite plasma. As always, the organization follows “the highest standards of safety and infection control,” and will protect all volunteers from any possible exposure to infection.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B-aM1ySAyKm/

In their own words, the Red Cross has confirmed that donating blood is “one of the most important things you can do to ensure we don’t have another health care crisis on top of coronavirus,” so click here to see where you can go to help.

Featured

Hurricane Dorian Devastated the Bahamas and Parts of the Carolinas

Featured Image: The Atlantic

Charleston geared up for Hurricane Dorian this week, luckily much of the Holy City was left largely unharmed despite the hundreds of thousands of power outages. Sadly, the northern Bahamas were not as lucky and suffered the largest impact from the hurricane as the storm was at a category 5 level when it struck the islands. The official death toll is 43 and continues to rise as rescue workers reach more areas. The United Nations believe almost 70,000 are left homeless on Abaca and Grand Bahamas, the areas which took the grunt of the impact, due to the damage. Follow CNN’s live updates here.

Northeast South Carolina and North Carolina were impacted as well as flooding and tornadoes have hit the region. Outer Banks residents’ homes flooded, leaving hundreds trapped by high water. Ocracoke Island, in the Outer Banks, suffered catastrophic flooding, described by residents as levels they had never seen. The island is only accessible by boat and air, but Governor Roy Cooper said medical and search and rescue teams were on the way. Here are just a few of the ways you can donate and help the Bahamas as well as the impacted communities in the Carolinas:

Find more organizations working to aid in the rescue work in the Bahamas and the United States, accepting donations here.

The Charleston region was impacted by the hurricane as well with trees, powerlines and even traffic lights downed across the Lowcountry. Take a look at some pictures of the impacts the storm left on Charleston:

 

null

null

null

null

 

View this post on Instagram

 

Praying for #Charleston! ? (?s by @tonybartelme and @bymatthewfortner | The Post and Courier)

A post shared by AHA Lowcountry (@lowcountryaha) on

 

 

 

News

HURRICANE VICTIMES

The Lowcountry Is Showing Love For Hurricane Victims

Featured Image Credit: Erika P. Rodriguez for The New York Times

Hurricane Irma and the most recent Hurricane Maria created mass devastation throughout the Virgin Islands. The Lowcountry couldn’t resist reaching out and creating a nonprofit to help with the damage done to the islands. Volunteers named the nonprofit LowcountryLOVEforVI that will help those affected by the catastrophic Category 5 hurricanes.

The Alley located downtown is hosting a relief event for the Hurricane victims this weekend. The Alley’s owner, David Crowley, wanted to lend a helping hand to a fellow food & beverage friend, Clint Gaskins. Gaskins is the owner of Sea Island Food Group, LLC and owns one of the most popular restaurants on the island of St. John.

HURRICANE VICTIMS

There will be three opportunities to help the people that live in the USVI.

Saturday and Sunday (September 23rd &24th)- there will be a clothing drive at The Alley from 11 am – close.
-Being a sports bar, they are encouraging people to donate sports-related clothing.
-All guests that donate will receive a free Charleston Mix Bloody Mary, a domestic bottled beer, or a loaded tots appetizer.

Cash Donation Drive (Saturday, Sept. 23 and Sunday, Sept. 24 11am-close: online): To help local nonprofit, LowcountryLOVEforVI reach their goal of $15,000, The Alley will give everyone who donates $20 or more a free Charleston Mix Bloody Mary, domestic bottled beer, or loaded tots appetizer. The Go Fund Me page is: https://www.gofundme.com/charlestonloveforVI (must show Go Fund Me receipt to receive offer)

Power Generator Drive (Monday, Sept. 25-Saturday, Oct. 7: 9am-5pm; BoomTown!): Because the power on the islands is expected to be out for a couple of months, power generators are extremely important. The first 20 people that donate power generators to BoomTown! will receive a voucher for a bowling party for 12 people at The Alley.

Featured

shane whiddon

Local Businesses Show Support For Whiddon Family

Featured Image Credit: Jonathan Boncek file photo via Charleston City Paper

There is some light to be shed on the tragedy that happened downtown on Thursday, August 24th. A local favorite for brunch, Virginia’s On King, lost their executive chef in a shooting inside the restaurant after a hostage situation. Chef Shan Whiddon was not just a chef, he was a husband and father to two sons. If you have been wondering how you can help out, here are some ways you can donate as well as some events going on in the community that are supporting his family and staff.

-The Charleston Pour House released a statement that they are willing to donate their venue and help organize a fundraiser to aid Chef Whiddon’s family. To help organize or donate food/bev items email vharrispoho@gmail.com or alexharrispoho@gmail.com.

-The Explore Charleston and Greater Charleston Restaurant Association, on behalf of Bennett Hospitality, set up a no fee account for donations.
Make checks payable to Chef Shane Whiddon Memorial Account
Address: 423 King St. Charleston SC 29403, or drop off at any Wells Fargo Bank.

-Chef Jason McKinney, a former friend, and coworker of Chef Shane, set up a pop-up dinner in Charleston to benefit the family this dinner will be $250 per person.
For Details: 404-630-2019 to organize/sell tickets
Needs: 4-6 other chefs to participate
Vendor & Wine donations
Space, Restaurant, or Volunteer space.

-Edmund’s Oast donated 100% of their proceeds to the Whiddon family GoFundMe from 2-5.

-2 Nixons, a pop-up restaurant in Charleston, vowed to give all their gratuity from this past Friday and Saturday to the staff of Virginia’s.

-A GoFundMe account has been created by a neighbor, Terri Thomas Wall. The goal is set for 150k to give to the family.