Families Helping Families
GIVES JOY
Since 1990, Palmetto Project has partnered with WIS News 10 and the Midlands community to bring holiday magic to more than 75,000 families through Families Helping Families of the Midlands. Beginning in 2024, we expanded our model to include back-to-school support for local children in need.
Getting Involved
SUPPORTING LOCAL FAMILIES
Back-to-School Supply Drive
Beginning in 2024, Palmetto Project expanded our Families Helping Families program in the Midlands beyond the holidays to ensure that Midlands children in need could start the school year with the supplies needed to succeed.
Because of all of YOU, our annual Back-to-School Supply Drive partnership with WIS News 10 and B106.7 has provided 1,600+ Midlands children with the tools they need to succeed in school.
Thank you!
Help us reach 1,500 more students in 2026!
HOLIDAY ASSISTANCE
Since 1990, Palmetto Project has provided the magic of the holiday season to thousands of Midlands families with children, senior citizens, and adults with disabilities in need in partnership with WIS News 10. Our incredible community of donors has made the Christmas season merry & bright for more than 80,000 families in the Midlands.
Your year-round support helps us continue this special holiday tradition.
Thank you to everyone who helped us serve 3,957 families in 2025!
Stay tuned for 2026! ♥
Supply Drop-Off Begins!
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Adopt a Family
WHO WE SERVE
Families with children under 18
We serve children for back-to-school and at Christmas.
- Must be low-income (up to 150% of the federal poverty level)
- Must be referred by a partner agency
(Ex: The housing authorities, DSS, early interventionists, school social workers, or other approved community partners)
Adults with Disabilities
We serve adults with disabilities at Christmas.
- Must be low-income (up to 150% of the federal poverty level)
- Must be referred by a partner agency
(Ex: DDSN, Able SC, The ARC, etc.)
SENIOR CITIZENS
We serve senior citizens at Christmas.
- Must be low-income (up to 150% of the federal poverty level)
- Must be referred by a partner agency
(Ex: HUD housing units, Senior Resources, DSS, etc.)
What we do
How We Help Families Thrive
Backpack & School Supply Drive
We believe that every child should have the pencils, paper, books, and other tools and supplies they need to succeed in school.
That’s why we launched our annual summer backpack and school supply drive in the summer of 2024. Since then, we have provided over 1,600 backpacks for Midlands children in need so they could start their school years ready to learn.
Holiday Assistance
We help make the holiday season merrier & brighter for families who are most in need of holiday magic.
By partnering with 80+ community organizations, nonprofits, and social service agencies, and our incredible Midlands community, we streamline holiday giving for families with children, adults with disabilities, and senior citizens in need – and empower our social service agency partners to focus on their missions.
Financial Stability
In addition to special gifts, our holiday giving efforts help feed, clothe, and nourish our neighbors across the Midlands.
Our donors and sponsors also provide our families with basic necessities like soap, shampoo, socks, underwear, and winter coats. And families often receive giftcards to grocery stores so they can be fed over the holidays.
Create hope
FHFM: What Drives Us
OUR WHY
Families Helping Families of the Midlands is a partnership between Palmetto Project, a statewide nonprofit committed to improving health, social, and economic outcomes for families in South Carolina since 1984, and WIS News 10.
We believe that everyone in the Palmetto State deserves to be as happy, healthy, and prosperous as possible. And we believe that innovation is the pathway to progress.
Together with WIS News 10, Palmetto Project innovated Families Helping Families as a new model for holiday giving in the Midlands in 1990. As a trusted community organization, we have created a business-like approach to holiday assistance. Families Helping Families centralizes the giving, family adoptions, logistics, and distribution processes to make it as efficient and effective for everyone.
More Information
Frequently asked questions
Who we serve
Our Back-to-School Supply Drive serves children from K5 through high-school in eight (8) Midlands school districts. Our holiday giving program serves low-income families with children, senior citizens, and adults with disabilities.
Qualifications
All recipients must reside at or below 150% of the federal poverty level.
- Two people: $31,725 annual income (or less)
- Three people: $39,975 annual income (or less)
- Four people: $48,225 annual income (or less)
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How it Works
Social service agencies refer their clients to us, and we take care of the rest in partnership with WIS News 10.
Get Involved
We rely on the incredible generosity of resources and spirit throughout the year to power FHFM.
You and your family, civic organizations, employers, churches, or other social groups can volunteer to support us for shopping, distribution, data entry, or the holiday telethon!
Upcoming Events
SHOP or support our local students!
NOW through July 26th!
Drop-Off for our Back-to-School drive Begins!
LOCATION: Greenview Elementary School
Monday, July 27, 2026:
- Drop-off begins on Monday, July 27th.
- Our team will be at Greenview Elementary School on Monday the 27th, Tuesday the 28th, and Wednesday the 29th.
- Drop-off closes on Wednesday, July 29, 2026.
- 8:00am – 5:30pm
THANK YOU!
Thank you WIS News 10!
We are so grateful for the support of our media partner and longtime friend to Palmetto Project & FHF, WIS News 10.
Thank you B106.7!
We are so grateful for the support of our radio media partner and friend to Palmetto Project & FHF, WTCB FM.