Nominate your Choice of Possible Candidates for the 2026 Share the Plate Recipients: Sept 11-25, 2025!
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Nomination forms must be submitted by Sept 25, 2025.
Information on Possible Share the Plate Nominees
Congaree Riverkeeper is a local grassroots non-profit organization that works to protect and improve water quality, wildlife habitat, and recreation on the Broad, Lower Saluda and Congaree Rivers through advocacy, education, and enforcement of environmental laws. congareeriverkeeper.org
Cotton Branch Farm Animal Sanctuary provides a safe haven for abandoned, abused, neglected, and elderly farm animals. While there are many shelters and rescue organizations for animal companions such as cats and dogs, and wildlife, there is a lack of sanctuary for farm animals, which make up 98% of the animals killed in the U.S. each year. cottonbranch.org
Final Victory Animal Rescue is a dog and cat rescue that gives animals a positive experience after a traumatic time in the shelter, neglected homes, or living on streets. Large 5’x10′ runs, long walks by volunteers in quiet neighborhoods, outdoor play yards for socialization, and other positive play serve as a positive first step towards their forever homes. Sometimes rescue animals just need a safe and loving place to land for a bit before heading to their forever homes! Our expansive foster network and successful adoption process has led THOUSANDS of rescued animals being placed in forever homes, achieving their final victory!
The Free Medical Clinic provides quality healthcare, at no cost, to residents of the community who cannot pay for such services and who have no health insurance. This clinic is their only option to have access to health care. The staff and volunteers operate six examination rooms, a pharmacy, a small laboratory, a classroom for patient education and meetings, a waiting room, and offices. Community partnerships are key to the Clinic’s success in providing comprehensive medical services and the continuous evolution of their programs. These partnerships also allow them to connect their patients with services currently beyond the Clinic’s scope.freemedclinic.org
Good Samaritan Clinic is a faith-based organization offering free health and dental care primarily to the Hispanic community in four South Carolina locations. With the dedication of volunteer physicians, nurses, interpreters, and administrative assistants, as well as the generous support of our funding partners, the clinic is able to serve our communities in the tradition of the Good Samaritan. goodsamaritansc.org
Harriet Hancock LGBT Center, is a South Carolina leading organization dedicated to fostering a safe, inclusive space that supports, educates, and empowers the LGBTQ+ community and its allies. Established in 1993 as the first LGBTQ+ resource and community center in the southeast, our mission is to provide education, social support and resources related to current and evolving concerns of the LGBTQ+ community in South Carolina. Serving the Greater Columbia and Midlands region, we work to build resilience, collaboration, and understanding among LGBTQ+ community members, allies, and neighbors. For more information about the Harriet Hancock Center’s programs and events, please visit www.harriethancockcenter.org or follow us on instagram @HarrietHancockCenter.
Harvest Hope Food Bank has a mission to provide for the needs of hungry people by gathering and sharing quality food with dignity, compassion, and education. Harvest Hope has continued to increase the scope of its operations and now provides food, comfort, and hope to hungry individuals and families in the Midlands, Pee Dee, and Greater Greenville regions of South Carolina. harvesthope.org
Homeless No More (The Family Shelter), now under the umbrella of Homeless No More, is a nonprofit organization that believes family homelessness is entirely solvable. Their continuum of care – from emergency services to transitional and affordable housing – keeps each family together and meets their needs at the right time with the right services. By providing the support to move each family toward a permanent, self-sufficient solution, they can eradicate family homelessness and help parents and their children achieve lasting independence. homelessnomore.org
Justice 360 promotes fairness, reliability and transparency in the criminal justice system for individuals facing the death penalty and juveniles facing lengthy sentences in South Carolina. They accomplish this by using resources and support for lawyers tasked with representing capital and juvenile defendants and representing individual clients. They advocate for policy change to address systemic flaws in the criminal justice system and educate the public to raise awareness about the administration of capital and juvenile sentencing in South Carolina. https://justice360sc.org
Midlands Orphan Relief is dedicated to supporting children who have been experienced abuse, abandonment, or neglect. Guided by the belief that every child has intrinsic value we work to nurture their self-esteem and provide essential resources to meet heir most urgent needs, ensuring they feel respected, valued, and cared for. These children are served by receiving personalized Care Kits filled with clothing, shoes, toiletries, and other essentials, restoring dignity and providing immediate support during times of crisis when they need it most. midlandsorphanrelief.org
MIRCI (Mental Illness Recovery Center, Inc.) provides behavioral healthcare, outreach services and affordable housing options for people who are vulnerable to the adverse consequences of mental illness. mirci.org
MORE Justice Columbia is a growing network of faith-based congregations which are culturally, economically, racially, geographically and religiously diverse – coming together to fulfill our scriptural mandate to “do justice” and make the Central Midlands area a more just place to live for all people. Member congregations work together to empower marginalized people and act powerfully to address serious community wide problems through direct action. They seek to transform the systems that cause suffering by holding local officials accountable for resolving these inequities and injustices. https://www.morejusticecolumbia.org/
NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) is the nation’s largest grass roots mental health organization dedicated to building better lives for the millions of Americans affected by mental illness. nami.org
Palmetto Association for Children and Families (PAFCAF) unites private sector organizations that offer a wide continuum of services, including emergency shelter care, residential treatment, group care (intensive, intermediate and low management), therapeutic foster care, supervised independent living, wrap-around services, and community-based prevention services. Their mission is to provide education, support and leadership that strengthens the capacity of member agencies to produce positive outcomes for children and their families. pafcaf.org
Palmetto Lifeline (formerly Project Pet) was founded in 1999 with the mission of creating a No-Kill community in the Midlands of South Carolina. Too many companion pets were euthanized due to overcrowding and homelessness, and it is their mission to work toward giving these pets a future. They continue to strive toward the goal of a no-kill community and state through adoption, pet retention, rescue partnerships, and medical
services. pawmettolifeline.org
Palmetto Place Children & Youth Services provides a safe and nurturing environment for abused, abandoned, neglected and unaccompanied teens, ages 16-21 in the State of South Carolina. Our Unaccompanied Youth program offers them a broad range of services concentrating on personal healing, development, and financial independence. The shelter is open 24 hours a day and provides medical and mental health care, crisis adjustment, transitional counseling, case management, after-school tutoring, and recreational and social activities in addition to food, clothing, and shelter. Our goal for each resident through our individualized care plan is either reunification with a safe family member, or independent housing and financial security. Since our inception in 1977, we have served over 7500 unaccompanied youth, and are so proud of the growth we have seen in the program and the continued support from our Columbia community! palmettoplace.org
Planned Parenthood has promoted for nearly 100 years a commonsense approach to women’s health and well-being, based on respect for each individual’s right to make informed, independent decisions about health, sex, and family planning. Contributions to Planned Parenthood Federation of America are tax-deductible to the fullest extent allowable under the law. plannedparenthood.org
Safe Space Dinners (housed in Reformation Lutheran Church) is a ministry for homeless LGBTQIA+ youth, including people of color. On the second and fourth Thursdays of each month, these youth (14-23 years old) are offered a safe space and time to gather for a time to rest and recharge, a home-cooked meal, and a backpack of items they will find helpful in their day-to-day life. There is no preaching, no conversion therapy attempts; only support and comfort. This is a ministry of giving – nothing more. reformationcae.org
SC Appleseed Legal Justice Center fights for low income South Carolinians to overcome social, economic, and legal injustice. Their goal is to influence policymakers to ensure the law is fair, to educate the public and their advocates about the law, and to assist attorneys in bringing systemic litigation where the law is unfair. scjustice.org
SCWREN (Women’s Rights Empowerment Network) is a South Carolina-based network whose mission is to build a movement to advance the health, economic well-being, and rights of South Carolina’s women, girls, and their families. We advocate, educate, engage community, and build coalitions. WREN strives to create a diverse and inclusive movement that amplifies voices and advances justice for all. scwren.org
Safe Space Dinners is a ministry of Reformation Lutheran Church that aims to help meet the needs of homeless and housing insecure youth ages 14-23 in the Columbia area. They are called Safe Space because every person is welcome no matter their gender identity, sexuality, race, religion, or any other aspect of who they are. On the second and fourth Thursday of each month they host a family-style dinner for around 35 dinner participants accompanied by an activity such as games or presentations from community organizations. Bags of non-perishable items are distributed which can include gift cards, first aid kits, socks, and pre-packaged snacks, extending beyond the two dinners we host each month. https://reformationcae.org/safe-space-dinners
Senior Resources/Meals on Wheels is a nonprofit dedicated to helping older adults in Richland County remain healthy, independent, and connected to the community. Through programs like Meals on Wheels, wellness centers, transportation, Pet Pals, and the Lourie Center, we provide a continuum of care that supports more than 1,200 seniors each month. With the help of over 800 volunteers annually, we deliver not only nutritious meals but also companionship, safety, and peace of mind. Guided by our mission to empower older adults to maintain their independence and to live with dignity, we work to ensure that no senior in our community is forgotten.
SisterCare has a mission to provide services and advocacy for domestic violence survivors and their children, and to promote prevention of domestic violence through community awareness and training. It is the only organization that specifically offers shelter and support services for survivors and their children in Richland, Lexington, Kershaw, Newberry, and Fairfield counties. sistercare.org
Sustainable Midlands’ mission is to encourage responsible growth, ensure access to local food, and establish a healthy environment for all Midlands communities. They encourage land use and transportation solutions, reinvest in our neighborhoods, and encourage lifestyle choices that protect our air and water and preserve our farms, forests, and open spaces. sustainablemidlands.org
Transitions Homeless Recovery Center engages clients with various services and provides them a place to stay as they transition from the streets to permanent housing. They also partner with many community agencies that use their expertise to help clients reach their goals. As a result, clients receive services that enable them to stabilize their lives, increase their income, and secure permanent housing. transitionssc.org
All the above are 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations.