Church Based Charity Love Gave Collecting Supplies at Area Walmarts

About 1,400 children across South Carolina don't have homes or families to count on.

The Charleston born charity group Love Gave is hoping to do something about that this year in the Charleston area at least. Now in its third year of existence Love Gave is focusing on orphans in the Charleston area. The group is collecting supplies at the West Ashley and Goose Creek Walmarts through 7 p.m. Saturday for four area orphan organizations.

The group launched a 58-hour Love Gave Hope marathon supplies collection drive at 9 a.m. Thursday at both Walmart locations. Volunteers are taking turns manning the supplies and information tents and live webcast stages throughout the event, according to Lauren Miller, one of the event organizers. Roughly 350 volunteer shifts are scheduled for each location.

"We're basically here for 58 hours straight," Miller said. "We're trying to get people to come to Walmart to purchase these supplies and donate them."

Items on the wish-lists provided by the orphanages include: socks, underwear, winter pajamas, sheets and other bedding, various toiletries, bath towels, trash bags, laundry detergent, cleaning supplies, paper towels and toilet paper, baby food, diapers, shampoo, lotion, baby powder, baby bottles and pacifiers.

Love Gave volunteers will be stationed at each Walmart with lists of the specific brands of supplies requested to assist shoppers with finding the items in the stores. The group has detailed spreadsheets to track how many of each item is donated so that when a goal for a particular item is met the volunteers helping shoppers find the wish-list items can direct them to the items that are still needed. 

The collected supplies will be donated to the Carolina Youth Development Center, Windwood Farms, Eagle Harbor Boys Ranch and Lowcountry Orphan Relief on Saturday night.

"We're asking people to either buy the supplies and leave them with us or to make a cash, check or credit card donation," Miller said. "Our goal this year is $100,000. In past years we've far exceeded our goals, but this one is a huge one for us."

Between the four organizations that will receive the supplies collected during the Love Gave Hope event, more than 100 orphans are being served in the Charleston area alone.

Love Gave began in 2010 at River Church, where Miller's pastor had the vision to create a way for area churches to join forces for good causes. Since then the organization has grown to include a total of 20 churches — River Church, Crosstowne Christian Church, Coastal Community Church, James Island Christian Church, Solomon's Porch, Charleston BCM, Seacost Church, Journey Church, Awaken Church, Church at Cane Bay, Riverbluff Church, Freedom Church, Northwood Assembly, Summit Church, Northwood Baptist Church, Cathedral of Praise, NewSpring Church and City Church.

Charity drives in previous years include an inaugural Love Gave Backpacks drive in 2010 that provided backpacks and school supplies to more than 300 Charleston area children. The group also worked to collect nearly 600 bicycles for its second Love Gave charity drive. Last year the group focused its efforts on collecting enough food to provide two weeks worth of food for more than 200 families on the free and reduced lunch program in area schools to provide nutrition over the Christmas holidays while school was out of session.

Miller said before deciding to focus on orphans this year she wasn't aware of how many children in the area are without families and support networks.

"It's eye opening," she said. "I had no idea this was such a problem."

In addition to the basic supplies included on the shopping lists, each of the orphan organizations have given Love Gave a few big-ticket items that are needed. And that's really where the monetary donations will come into play, Miller said.

For instance Eagle Harbor needs a washing machine and dryer, and another group needs a new van, so after the goals for the supplies are met any additional donated money will go towards making the purchase of those big-ticket items possible.