Outreach & Mission

As Jesus commanded, St. Mark's is committed to helping others.  We provide a variety of volunteer and financial giving opportunities through which members can contribute to our community and the world.

The St. Mark's Outreach and Mission Committee accepts and reviews grant applications from local, national and international non-profits. Committee members evaluate the alignment of the work of each applicant with the "passions" of the St. Mark's community as set forth in the Outreach Purpose Statement.  Finally, utilizing funds dedicated in the St. Mark's budget for outreach, the Committee discusses each grant request and votes on the amounts to be granted.

Through its Outreach funds, St. Mark's provides financial support to many organizations, including the following.  Parishioners also volunteered their time and expertise to many of these groups.  

(Blue headers below provide links to agency or ministry websites.)

Local Programs

Child Abuse Prevention Association (CAPA) provides shelter and support programs to prevent/respond to child abuse and neglect. Working with Thumbs Up, St. Mark's helps to supply CAPA with toilet articles and supplies for children in crisis.  For further information, please contact Christina Wilson at tigerfamily99@earthlink.net.

Family Promise of Beaufort County is part of a nationwide effort to provide temporary shelter, meals, financial planning, and support for homeless families with children. The local program has purchased its first home, Freedom House, a temporary housing facility. St. Mark’s partners with other congregations to provide meals, gift cards, and occasional volunteer help at the house. The Outreach Committee has also provided grant money. For further information, please contact George Utter at gbu.187@gmail.com.

Friends of Shanklin Elementary School provides school supplies and uniforms for students at this Title 1 school in Beaufort.  For further information, please contact The Rev. Patricia Daniel-Turk at turkpdt@aol.com.

Good Neighbor Medical Clinic provides medical care free of charge to uninsured, low-income adults in the Beaufort area.  For further information, please contact Kathlyn Gray at kg449@aol.com.

HELP of Beaufort provides food and clothing for individuals and families. HELP also provides emergency rent and utilities assistance.  Every month, St. Mark's conducts a "HELP Collection Sunday" when non-perishable foods are collected for HELP's pantry shelves.  For further information, please contact Lori Opozda at helpofbeaufort@gmail.com or 843-524-1223.

Hopeful Horizons (formerly Citizens Opposed to Domestic Abuse - CODA - and Hope Haven) provides shelter and support services for victims of domestic abuse.  In addition to financial donations, St. Mark's contributes paper products such as diapers, toilet tissue and paper towels, for the emergency shelter.  If you are interested in volunteering to work with survivors of child abuse and/or domestic abuse, contact Meredith Matthews, volunteer coordinator, at   matthews@hopefulhorizons.org.

Lowcountry Habitat for Humanity builds housing in partnership with low income families. Volunteers sign up for "specialized" projects, fund raising, or helping refurbish furniture at the Habitat ReStore.  For more information, please contact Sally Mayse at smayse4@gmail.com.

St. Francis Center on St. Helena Island lives its mission to serve the under-served and persons with disabilities by assisting with food, clothing, support of children, migrant workers, and ones who need home repairs. As the Center relies on local parishes, individual donors, and organizations to provide non-perishable necessities, St. Mark’s dedicates the first Sunday of alternating months for pantry donations which are delivered to the Center. Each January, through the "Sock it to ‘Em” sock drive, St. Mark’s provides hundreds of pairs of socks to the St. Francis Center. In addition, our Outreach & Mission Committee has granted funds for St. Francis to support local residents' great needs. To volunteer at or donate to the St. Francis Center, please contact Sr. Canice or Sr. Marcine at franctr@islc.net.

Thumbs Up is a year-round educational and family support program serving low-income children who are performing below grade level in school. St. Mark's provides tutoring and hot meals after school for children in grades K-4. For more information, please contact Woody Rutter, Thumbs Up Board Chair, at jrutter@islc.net or Dr. Christopher Thompson, Executive Director, at drcct1@gmail.com or 843-379-8882.

National and International

Episcopal Relief and Development is an international relief and development agency of The Episcopal Church which provides relief in times of disaster and promotes sustainable development by identifying and addressing the root causes of suffering. For further information, please contact Barbara Anderson at rbanders345@gmail.com.

Water Mission - In partnership with First Presbyterian Church of Beaufort, St. Mark's supports the manufacture and delivery of water purification methods in drought-stricken Uganda.  This emerging ministry reflects St. Mark's passion for children's welfare and world peace.  For further information, please contact Carter Hoyt at carterhoyt@comcast.net. Click here to learn how to register to participate in an upcoming Walk for Water Beaufort.