Today South Carolina Secretary of State Mark Hammond announced the Angels of 2023. Secretary Hammond recognized twelve Angel charities at a press conference in the Edgar Brown Building on the Capitol Complex.
The Angels honored are organizations that have positively impacted the well-being of South Carolinians and that have demonstrated good stewardship of charitable resources. Representatives from all organizations were in attendance to receive a plaque and recognition from Secretary Hammond. The Angels recognized, with the percentage of their expenditures that went toward their program services, are listed below. Those recognized are listed in alphabetical order and are not ranked by the Secretary of State.
- Aiken Center for the Arts, Inc., Aiken, SC 84.4%
- Darlington County Habitat for Humanity, Hartsville, SC 93.7%
- Food for the Soul-Kershaw County, Inc., Camden, SC 84.5%
- Greenwood Pathway House, Inc., Greenwood, SC 84.6%
- Jasmine Road, Inc., Greenville, SC 82.8%
- Lions Vision Services, a South Carolina Charity, Columbia, SC 88.1%
- National Diaper Bank Network, Inc., New Haven, CT 94.9%
- New Directions of Horry County, Inc., Myrtle Beach, SC 80.3%
- Sea Islands Hunger Awareness Foundation, Kiawah Island, SC 98.8%
- Smith Medical Clinic, Inc., Pawleys Island, SC 86.2%
- Stone Soup Animal Rescue Inc., Woodruff, SC 92.1%
- Troop Appreciation Fishing Fund Foundation, Chapin, SC 93.5%
The Angels were selected by review of financial reports submitted annually to the Secretary of State’s Office, as well as through nominations from the public. To be selected as an Angel, the charity must have devoted 80% or more of its total expenditures to charitable programs; must have been in existence for three or more years; must make good use of volunteer services; must receive minimal funding from grants; must have a significant presence in South Carolina; and must be in compliance with the South Carolina Solicitation of Charitable Funds Act. Each year, the Secretary of State’s Office attempts to showcase Angels with diverse missions that have benefitted communities around the state.
“Every year, I recognize ‘Angel’ charities that have made significant contributions to South Carolina—not only to recognize their accomplishments, but to encourage donors to practice wise charitable giving,” said Secretary Hammond. “This past year, our office launched Give Smart SC, a free mobile app that donors can use to research charities from their phones and other mobile devices. I hope that everyone uses this app before donating, so that they can give with confidence.”
Charitable donors can download Give Smart SC for free through the App Store and Google Play, and use the app to see if a charity is registered to solicit in South Carolina. Charitable donors can also research charities by visiting the Secretary of State’s website at sos.sc.gov. You can use the Give Smart SC app or the online Charities Search engine to learn a charity’s total revenue, program expenses, total expenses, net assets, and fundraiser costs, as well as the percentage of total expenses that the charity has spent on program services. You can also call the Division of Public Charities at 1-888-CHARITI (242-7484) or send an email to charities@sos.sc.gov for more information. If you have concerns about a charitable organization, professional fundraiser, or raffle, you can file a confidential complaint with the Secretary of State’s Office by using the online Charitable Solicitation Complaint Form.
“The Angels recognized today demonstrate how caring and generosity can transform and improve lives,” said Secretary Hammond. “As the holidays approach, I hope that everyone will extend the same caring and generosity to others. As always, remember to give from the heart, but please give smart.”
