Community and School Service

Animal Welfare and Environmental

Volunteers help with the dogs and cats at the John Ancrum SPCA facility in Mt. Pleasant . Students also volunteer at the South Carolina Aquarium as informational guides. Environmental activities include: Beach Sweep/ Riversweep, Adopt-A-Highway, Clean City Sweep. The first events of the year are Beach Sweep at Folly Beach and Adopt-A-Highway on Albemarle Road on September 16th. ( Chandler Church and Laura Tyler) )

Art Assistance

Students assist with publicity for service projects throughout the year. Activities include designing and drawing posters, flyers, and letters. Students maintain the service bulletin board and monthly calendar. This is a fun way to put you artistic talents to work. (Brittany Gudas and Legare Settle)

Calling Tree

Students earn service hours for making reminder calls to fellow students during food and toy drives and for special events. Volunteers are assigned a list of students to call during each campaign. This phone support makes a tremendous difference in student participation.(Elisa Bennett)

Christmas Toy Drive

Porter-Gaud students in grades K5-12 show their generosity by bringing new toys for needy children in this seasonal service activity. Volunteers decorate and place toy boxes in classrooms in early December. Student volunteers collect the toys at the end of the drive and spend an afternoon sorting them for various organizations. Every effort is made to fill all requests on the wish lists received each year. (December 7-14) (Jacob Nussbaum)

Gadsden Friendships

End your week on a high note by joining the party at Bishop Gadsden Retirement Home on James Island every Friday from 4:30:5:30 P.M. Students serve refreshments and visit with the residents. Come prepared for an enlightening experience and the fun of being welcomed by lots of grandmothers and grandfathers who delight in your presence. (Maddie Provo and Abigail Droge)

Girls on the Run

Girls on the Run offers Upper School girls an opportunity to interact with girls in Lower School . This is a nationally based program for girls in grades 3-5. The program uses running to provide girls with the opportunity to think outside of the box, discuss body images, gossip, friendships, and just about anything that comes to the mind of an active little girl. The program is about healthy choices and healthy lifestyles. Porter-Gaud had the first Girls on the Run program in the state of South Carolina . (Callie Cabe)

Habitat for Humanity

Students work with Sea Island Habitat to assist with the construction of new homes for people who have never owned a home of their own. No experience is necessary. An engineer is on site to train new workers. Volunteers work on houses in all stages of construction. Grab a hammer and come on out to Johns Island . Fingers bandaged free of charge! (Faculty Advisor: Mr. Michael Porter) (Celine Kosian, Mason Wade, and Ed Simmons)

Headstart Program

It's pre-kindergarten party time at the Headstart Centers of James Island and Johns Island . Students plan and host holiday parties for Halloween, Valentine's Day, and an Easter egg hunt for 3, 4 and 5 year old students. (Libby Burrous)

Homeless Shelter

Are you a "Morning Person?" Volunteers meet in the early morning, once a month, to cook and serve breakfast at the Interfaith Crisis Ministry Homeless Shelter on Meeting Street . Students are accompanied by a different faculty volunteer each month. Cooking, serving and clean-up are accomplished in time to go out for breakfast with fellow volunteers and arrive at school early for class. Volunteering at the shelter is a great way to help those who are less fortunate. (Last Wednesday of each month) (Grant Story)

Hunger Committee

The Hunger Committee organizes community service projects involving food for people in need. Included are: World Food Day, Easter Food Distribution, “Souper Bowl” and Meals on Wheels. Volunteers assist the Hunger Committee by collecting food from the classrooms on World Food Day and loading it for delivery.
Students raise money for the Easter Food distribution through various activities including: Jeans Days, a faculty-student basketball game and Barnes and Noble Gift Wrap. Student volunteers unload the Piggly Wiggly grocery truck for the Easter Food Distribution, pack the bags for each family and deliver the food to families on James, Johns and Wadmalaw Islands . Elise Jordan, Head of Hunger Committee; Committee Members: Ashley Mitchell, Tina Mao, Daisy Bainum, Ashley Finch

Miracle League

more info soon

New Student Hosts

Porter-Gaud students and their families are paired with new students and families to welcome them and ease the transition to a new school. (J.C. Darby and Virginia Lane )

Paint it Palmetto

This after school program offers an opportunity for elementary school students to use their imaginations in creating artwork. The students experience the joy of working with their hands in various mediums in the fine arts. The group meets weekly at the Cannon Street Y. (Sarah Jones and Felicia Morrison)

Pink House after School Tutoring

The Pink House Neighborhood Learning Resource Center is seeking exceptional individuals to help make a difference in the lives of others and provide a learning laboratory for tomorrow's leaders. This tutoring service focuses on after school help for grades 1-3. ( 1551 Mulberry Street , off Savannah Hwy ) (Rachel Snyder and Drew Simmons)

Race for the Cure

The annual Komen Charleston Race for the Cure, the largest 5K race in South Carolina , invites you and your family to participate in this fun and inspirational event on October 21st. The Charleston race includes a 5K Co-Ed Run/Walk and a one mile Family Fun Run/Walk. The Race is held at Etiwan Park on Daniel Island with the starting point directly in front of Bishop England High School . The mission of Race for the Cure is to eradicate breast cancer as a life threatening disease by advancing research, education, screening and treatment. Coordinator for Faculty: Mrs. Becky Pritchard (Morgan Headden)

Recycling

The entire school participates in the Charleston County Recycling in Schools Project. Student volunteers empty recycling bins for their assigned areas on a weekly basis and deliver large bins to the curb for bi-weekly pick up. Porter-Gaud's recycling program was recognized as one of the top four in the area. (Eric Novak and Elizabeth Maybank)

Red Cross Blood Drives

Give the gift of life! Blood drives are held in fall and late winter. Donors must be seventeen years of age, weigh at least 110 pounds and cannot be scheduled to participate in an athletic event on the day of the Blood Drive . The fall Blood Drive is October 17th. (Jonathan Millar)

Reindeer Run

Annual holiday 5K Run/Walk presented by The Charitable Society of Charleston. Proceeds benefit the MUSC Children's Hospital Fund. The race begins at East Bay and Cumberland at 8:30 a.m. , Dec. 2nd. Participants are encouraged to wear red and green holiday colors. Prizes awarded for best holiday costumes. (Alice Parker)

Relay For Life

Relay for Life is a unique, challenging and fun way to raise money for the American Cancer Society. Students sell luminaries dedicated to cancer survivors and as memorials for cancer victims. The personalized luminaries are lit on the evening of the event. Because cancer never sleeps, students walk the track throughout the evening to honor cancer victims. Funds raised are used for lifesaving research, cancer prevention, early detection, advocacy, and patient services. (Luann Cignivitch, Hannah Ellison, Tejber Dhinsa, Molly Perkins)

Rise up and Read (RUAR)

Students work on a one on one tutoring basis with 3 rd , 4 th and 5 th graders who attend Memminger Elementary School helping to develop strong learning skills. The tutoring program is under the auspices of St. John's Lutheran Church on Archdale Street . (Billy Oelsner)

Same Advantage

The mission of this service is to give underprivileged children some of the same advantages as those more fortunate by providing ready access to technology. Through this tutoring program young children gain familiarity and proficiency with computers. The Boys and Girls Club has an excellent computer lab and many eager students. Same Advantage meets every Tuesday from 4:30 - 5:30 . (Connor McCann and Alice Phillips)

Special Olympics

Special Olympics offers an opportunity to interact with and support athletes with special needs. This is a fun-filled, uplifting experience. Porter-Gaud students work with the athletes in the bowling competition one Saturday in February. (Catherine Suarez)

Special Projects

Special Projects offers many opportunities to earn service hours which include: Ronald McDonald Change for Children campaign, Friends of the Library book sale, Holiday Basketball Tournament concessions volunteer, Barnes and Noble Christmas gift wrap, First Grade Open House, and Lower School Share Your Love of Reading. New short term projects which occur during the school year will appear in the Daily Notices. (Perin Sanjana and Bess Hundley)