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(Charleston, S.C.) – July 14, 2022 – I Serve With Joy announces the launch of a new community-centric Back 2 School Drive with a future-forward concept to connect local charities and businesses toward the common goal of helping underprivileged students. Backpacks and supplies will be accepted until Wednesday, August 24 at designated locations to fill over 250 backpacks with supplies that will then be donated for local charity back to school giveaways across South Carolina.

I Serve With Joy aims to continue to meet the community where the need is the greatest and is a resource bearer to organizations who can best respond to the ever-changing needs of their respective communities. Their grassroots Back 2 School Drive unites businesses, nonprofits and the general public to take action in equipping kids with the tools needed to excel for a successful school year. Supplies being collected include paper, pencils, erasers, folders, glue sticks, crayons, colored pencils, scissors and more.

“We always have our ear to the ground and have built an extensive network to immediately tackle existing gaps with innovative measures,” says I Serve With Joy’s Executive Director Joy Campbell. “Last year, we noticed an influx of individual back to school events, but resources were depleted and the demand outweighed the supply. So, we acted as an intermediary to share resources and partner hand-in-hand with other local organizations to advance their philanthropic goals.”

In addition to individual and family donations of $5, $10 or $100 to be made online here, businesses can embrace this initiative by hosting a social event, making a charitable donation or hosting a collection site to gather supplies. Lowes Foods of Hanahan will host a local social at 3 p.m.-7 p.m. on Tuesday, August 9 where 10% of shopping proceeds (excluding alcohol, tobacco, and lottery) will go toward the initiative. Learn more here. Companies can give a charitable contribution to purchase backpacks and then can fill them with items as a collaborative team-building effort. Sample packages include 50 unfilled backpacks for $200 or 50 backpack kits with supplies for $600. Contributions can be made online at IServeWithJoy.org.

Current drop-off collection locations include The Brew, 700 Bowen Pier Dr./Ste. 1 in Hanahan; Happy Nutrition at 1000 Tanner Ford Blvd./Unit 350 in Hanahan; Park Circle Creamery at 1069 E. Montague Ave. in N. Charleston; Wrapstar Vehicle Wraps & Signs at 7227 Cross County Rd./Unit B in N. Charleston; and Rhino Medical Supply at 649-B Rosewood Dr., Columbia, SC 29201. Full list can be found on IServeWithJoy.org.

Sponsors who have helped make this initiative possible include North Charleston Police Department, Mike Hostilo Law Firm, Dr. Thaddeus Bell, Z93 Jamz, 95SX, Magic 107.3, Brunch All Day, Dream Maker Agent, Southern Lighting & Sound, Atlas Technologies Inc., Swiff Smith Express, LLC., Bear Paw Creative, Renee Moore Beauty Bar, Polished Salon and Party People Balloon Designs.

For more information on how to pack a backpack, donate or sponsor, please visit www.iservewithjoy.org, email [email protected] or call 347-774-0155.

ABOUT I SERVE WITH JOY
I Serve With Joy is a 501(c)(3) organization with the purpose and mission to serve the community and influence the world. Despite its small size, their big heart has impacted thousands in the Lowcountry and southeast region with a mission to R.E.A.C.H.– Rebuild (hearts), Empower (youth), Advance Communities and Help (the underserved). I Serve With Joy has been featured regionally on CBS, ABC, Bounce TV, iHeart Radio and more plus recently received the “Shining Star Award” by the North Charleston Police Department.