Staff reports
More than 70 backpacks loaded with essential elementary school supplies were delivered last week to the nonprofit Pat Conroy Literary Center by Kim Jeffcoat, Chief Community Officer of The Jeffcoat Firm.
The donation was part of the ongoing school supplies drive in support of the students and teachers of St. Helena Elementary School, a Title 1 school, organized by the Conroy Center, DAYLO (Diversity Awareness Youth Literacy Organization), and the Storybook Shoppe children’s bookstore. Kim Jeffcoat was joined by Jeffcoat Firm director of operations Brie White and Beaufort-based Jeffcoat Firm attorney Daniel Sevcik and his family. They met with St. Helena Elementary School’s new principal Constance Goodwine-Lewis, Conroy Center executive director and DAYLO mentor Jonathan Haupt, fellow DAYLO mentor and Beaufort Academy media center coordinator Claire Bennett, and current and former DAYLO students Becca Bennett (Beaufort Academy), Jasmine Rivers (Beaufort High School), and Mickie Thompson (USC Beaufort).
Each colorful backpack contains a notebook, child scissors, crayons, pencils and a sharpener, a glue stick, folders, and a supplies pouch — all to help equip students for a successful and enthusiastic beginning to their new school year.
The Conroy Center, DAYLO, and the Storybook Shoppe have been collecting a wide range of donated school supplies throughout July to be given to the students and teachers of St. Helena Elementary in early August. The inspiring generosity of local donors has also filled several large bins with vital supplies for educators and their students.
The source of the school supplies drive’s large donation, The Jeffcoat Firm is a personal injury and car accident law firm serving clients in North and South Carolina with offices in Columbia, Lexington, Blythewood, and Orangeburg. The Jeffcoat Firm is community focused, and, through their Project Backpack initiative, the Jeffcoat team is now distributing 1,000 backpacks for students ages Pre-K through 8th grade in Richland, Lexington, Calhoun, Newberry, Beaufort, Charleston, and Orangeburg counties.
The Conroy Center, DAYLO, the Storybook Shoppe, and St. Helena Elementary School are grateful to Kim Jeffcoat and The Jeffcoat Firm for selecting St. Helena Elementary as the recipient of their Project Backpack donation for Beaufort County.
