“This event has been an excellent opportunity for us to meet other people who we can collaborate with,” said Cookie Cawthon, executive director of Tenacious Grace, a nonprofit women’s ministry in Florence, which is one part traditional women’s ministry and one part jail ministry with women who have been incarcerated in Florence County.

“It is great for meeting other folks who complement what we are doing in the community,” Cawthon said.

#Giving Tuesday Pee Dee gives the public a chance to meet local nonprofit organizations and learn about how they serve the community.

“This was our first community awareness event,” said Markeisha Jackson of Little Miracles. “We are up and coming and are trying to get the word out about our organization."

Little Miracles’ mission is to ensure a safe, nurturing learning environment for children and provide academic enrichment programming, she said.

The Inner Me nonprofit is geared toward girls ages 3-12 and offers various programs on self-esteem, anti-bullying, community services and academic and literacy programs, Kimberly Merritts said.

Pamela Glass with the Florence Symphony Orchestra said the Giving Tuesday event is a way to get the symphony in the public’s eye.

“It is 71 years old, and it is good to show it off a bit,” she said.

Jimmy and Debbie Herring were two visitors to the event who brought requested goods for several nonprofits. Debbie said they heard about the event in the newspaper and decided to come. It was their first time.

Kim Andrews attended on a fact-finding mission. She wanted to learn more about some of the nonprofits she wasn’t familiar with. She is on the missions committee at Ebenezer Baptist Church. She said church members wanted to learn more about some local nonprofits that they might be interested in supporting in the future.

Sara Huggins was at the event representing Caring and Sharing in Hemingway. She said it is a food bank that supports the area. It also distribute Bibles to other countries. So far, she said, it has given out 33,000 Bibles in 14 countries.

Many of the nonprofits were requesting donations of goods, cash or volunteers.

Some of the items being requested were household cleaning supplies, bottled water, arts, crafts or school supplies, paper products, money, hygiene items, diapers for children and adults, office supplies, toys, dog and cat food, nonperishable food items, gift cards, children’s books, socks, new underwear for children and adolescents and volunteers.

The Salvation Army had its red kettles set up out front with bell ringers, a tradition this time of year.

For a full listing and items requested visit www.givingtuesdaypeedee.org.

Donors can make a difference in the community by contributing to one or more organizations. Whether your interests’ are in education, human services, help for children, animals or society’s most needy and vulnerable, organization are providing services and need support.