Painting The Right Picture
A child needs a vision of what they could become
A child needs hope and a ladder to that vision
A child needs strong reasons to work hard at learning
Children born into low income situations often do not have a clear vision of their possibilities.
If mother and or daddy didn’t graduate high school, or did poorly in math and English, and are now on welfare, or are working two jobs to make ends meet, their children often do not get the right picture about their possible future.
Real Champions Inc. makes surer kids get the right picture and climb that ladder to success.
Like a family we start early, first grade, we go deeper with kids and their families, and stay longer all the way to high school graduation painting that picture together. RCI is there with a long term relationship that elevates hope, vision, and aspirations, plus we provide the ladders and tools of success to kids that many low income kids will never have.
We Choose To Work With The Least Likely To Make Sure They Become The Most Prosperous.
We train hard and work hard because we are professionals at what we do, skillfully trained, fulltime professionals with big hearts.
Please read our latest post and consider joining in!
Summer is in full swing — and so is our commitment to building brighter futures for each child we serve. From launching our Close the Gap initiative to empowering students through our Summer Camp, we’re seeing real impact take root across our communities.
But, we can’t do it alone. As we expand our reach, we need passionate volunteers and donors like you to help us keep the momentum going. Keep reading to see how you can get involved and be a part of something bigger this summer.
Will You Help Us Close the Gap?
As we approach the end of summer and our fiscal year, we ask for your help to Close The Gap for critical funding so that we can continue to serve nearly 70 students in Jasper and Charleston Counties.
Your Close the Gap donation ensures our valuable children have guidance and stability weekly from their advocate mentor.
If you currently financially invest in our children, will you consider a new level of giving so we can hire more mentors to begin work with some of our area’s most vulnerable children and families?
With a small recurring monthly donation of $30.00, you can help provide our students with academic support, as well as unique learning opportunities — such as visits to museums and historical sites with their advocate mentors.
Please consider helping us reach our goal by August!
Summer Camp Update
The John Wigington Summer Camp has been a huge success with 48 students in two locations, participating in the 6-week, fun-filled event!
During the experience, students met Monday-Thursday for group activities and field trips to the USS Yorktown, local beaches, and the Bee City Zoo. The students also received math and reading exercises while taking a break from the heat.
One special part of this year’s camp was the introduction of a group art project. The students painted a mural that is now featured in the lobby of “Ripple,” Charleston’s non-profit incubator office. The mural project, led by advocate mentor and artist Justice Littlejohn, encouraged the students in the project titled, “All of Us” about how it takes all of us to create a brighter future.
The Harvard Graduate School of Education published a recent report citing that kids who attend summer camps increased self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision making.
We invite you to help us continue these important life experiences for our students with a donation, of any amount, to cover additional summer camp expenses. And a reminder, with a donation of $100 or more, we will send you our commemorative 2025 summer camp t-shirt, designed by artist and advocate mentor, Justice Littlejohn!
This month’s volunteer spotlight shines bright on our special friends and partners at Kingdom Touch Ministries in Ridgeland, SC. For the fourth consecutive year, Kingdom Touch Ministries and its volunteers have provided breakfasts, lunches, and indoor space to host activities during summer camp. The group also provided weekend food bags that included milk, proteins, vegetables and snacks for every child in the home of one of our mentees.
This unique partnership is also special to us because it is the home church of our Jasper County Program Director, Cierra Witter Jenkins. Cierra’s caring approach to partnerships and knowledge of Jasper County’s resources are so incredibly valued in our program.
“We are so thankful for the hearts of staff and volunteers at Kingdom Touch Ministries who saw a need and stepped up with exceedingly more than we could have expected for our summer camp food needs,” said Carl Martin, RCI Executive Director. “When you feed a child, you’re doing more than just providing nutrition. You’re showing that child, and the community, that you care about their every need to grow and succeed. Thank you Kingdom Touch for your valued partnership!”
The students said their favorite lunches were the corn dogs and tacos!
RCI Executive Director Serves As HHI-B Chamber Graduation Commencement Speaker
The Hilton Head Island-Bluffton Chamber of Commerce’s Leadership Program Class of 2025 recently celebrated its graduation with RCI’s own Carl Martin serving as its commencement speaker.
Carl spoke to the local business leaders on the importance of being clear and specific in setting goals — citing courageous and successful experiences leading to the 1981 Clemson University football national championship. Carl’s encouragement to the group was well received — even from Gamecock fans in the crowd! We honor the work of these business leaders and the HHI-Bluffton Chamber of Commerce as they uphold the values of community building and service to others, as we do.
Thank You Port Royal Community Charitable Fund!
Our very special thanks to the Port Royal Community Charitable Fund (PRCCF) on Hilton Head Island, SC for including RCI as one of its grant recipients. This is the second year we have been awarded a grant by the PRCCF, and we are so grateful for its continued generous support of our organization and families in Jasper County.
