The SC Yes Group Raises $12,900 To Feed 430 Families

Michelle Scarafile and Pam Hartley, Co-Founders of Charleston’s South Carolina Yes Group announced today that the not-for-profit group partnered with Carolina One Real Estate, Sea Island Piggly Wiggly and Communities In Schools to feed 430 families – more than 1720 local residents – on Thanksgiving Day through $12,900 in monetary donations and the efforts of hundreds of local volunteers. Each meal fed 4-6 people and consisted of a 10-12 lb turkey, dressing, potatoes, gravy, corn, green beans, yams, cranberry sauce, pumpkin pie crust and mix, rolls and butter.

Carolina One Real Estate provided the leg work, with four local offices raising money, assembling meals and handling deliveries.  Participating Carolina One offices included Coleman Boulevard, Long Point Road, Highway 17 Mt. Pleasant North and Isle of Palms.  Sea Island Piggly Wiggly provided grocery discounts and free delivery boxes.  Communities in Schools, a local non-profit dropout prevention organization serving students and families in both Berkeley and Charleston Counties, located almost all of the 430 local families in need.

The group modeled the Thanksgiving Basket Brigade after the Anthony Robbins International Basket Brigade, which is built on a simple notion: one small act of generosity on the part of one caring person can transform the lives of hundreds.  What began more than 30 years ago as Anthony Robbins’ individual effort to feed families in need, is now providing baskets of food and clothing for an estimated 4 million people annually in countries all over the world.

“We’re overwhelmed by the generosity of this community. Without the help of our friends, family and participating partners, an effort this large would not have been possible. Thank you to everyone that donated from across the US and here in Charleston”, Scarafile said. Hartley added, “We had so many children that pitched in this year and that was truly a blessing.  We want to give special thanks to Carolina One Real Estate, our SC Yes Group members, Derek Pace and the team at Piggly Wiggly along with the dedicated staff of Community In Schools.”

A staging area was set up at each of the four Carolina One Real Estate offices on Tuesday, November 24^th. More than one hundred volunteers assembled the meals within one hour and later delivered them to the community.

“Our goal is to double the effort next year”, said Scarafile.  Hartley agreed stating, “We’ll be on the lookout for corporate donations in 2010 to take this effort over the top!”

For more information on the South Carolina Yes Group, visit www.scyesgroup.com.

Check out the event video here: [wpvideo TvduaPFB]