Lily Pad #22: August 2024
Department of Social Services
Cherokee County, SC
Located in the northern part of South Carolina, Cherokee County is part of the larger Greenville-Spartanburg-Anderson, SC combined statistical area.
The county has a population of approximately 57,000 residents. On average, Cherokee County sees about 80-100 children in foster care annually.
The county seat is Gaffney, known for its rich history and cultural heritage. The DSS office is located in Gaffney.
We were joined by new volunteers at this installation. One family had adopted their daughter from foster care, and we were honored to have her join us. All the girls were eager to help in any way they could!
Cherokee County had just moved to their new office that same week of our installation. The new office was complete with new paint and flooring, so our team was able to focus on fun wall elements like another activity wall installation!
Our volunteers are always wonderful, and this team was no different. They not only helped install the Lily Pad, but they also helped the DSS staff hang paintings and move some furniture around the new office.
S
Sydney Ford
is an attorney in Atlanta, Georgia, who is originally from Gaffney, South Carolina. She experienced grief for the first time at the age of ten when her father died unexpectedly from a heart attack. She spent time throughout high school helping children in her community who were experiencing grief. It only seemed fitting that we include the book she authored in our Lily Pad location in Gaffney, South Carolina. Sydney's book can continue her work of helping youth in her community.
Grief comes in many different forms, and Sydney's book is an excellent resource to help explain grief to children. We plan to continue adding her book to all our Lily Pad spaces!