These Beaufort girls wanted to build homes for the homeless. Here’s what they did instead
Girl Scout troop No. 4106 first wanted to house the homeless in Beaufort.
While brainstorming ideas for a community service project, the girls suggested building tiny homes for those in need. Troop leaders determined the process would be too involved.
“We asked about ways they could scale it down,” said Jennifer Petersen, one of the troop leaders with Andy Barton.
The result is a place those in need can find fresh food, canned goods, toiletries and other items. The girls, ages 12 to 14, planted a community garden on a lot at 1707 Duke St. donated by Joan and Alfred Campbell.
They are growing kale, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, onions and garlic for anyone who wishes to pick some for a meal.
Then they built a “Blessing Box” on the same lot to house goods for the area’s homeless and others who might be in need. Supplies for the box were bought at Lowe’s; they fashioned the door from a golf cart window and PVC pipe.
As part of the conditions to receive a coveted Silver Award, the troop split into two groups.
Arianna Barton, Maple Alvarez and Savannah Hooks worked with Barton to build the box. Eryana Petersen, Zoey Allen and Aleshanee Cole planted and cared for the garden.
The garden was planted by early fall, and the final steps for the box were finished before Thanksgiving. Already, bottled waters, two dozens packages of MREs and an initial donation of linens and warm-weather supplies have been claimed from the box.
Petersen said she helped a homeless man with Parkinson’s disease fill a bag and watched a woman stop and fill a backpack.
People have steadily dropped off items at the box after word spread on social media, Petersen said. She is also collecting donations at her office at Taylor’s Rental Homes on Parris Island Gateway.
To qualify for the Girl Scouts Silver Award, the projects had to be sustainable.
The troop made plans to hand off the garden to another troop, teaching the girls about composting and environmentally safe ways to handle weeds and pests. They partnered with the Lowcountry Blessing Box Project in Charleston to become the 104th location in the Lowcountry and the first in Beaufort.
“It has been unbelievable,” Petersen said. “Every day I go over there, it’s almost empty. And every day there are enough donations to refill it.”
This story was originally published December 9, 2019 at 4:30 AM.
