Lily Pad- “A Soft Place to Land” A NonProfit Organization

06/17/2026

Nestled along South Carolina’s beautiful Lowcountry coast, Georgetown County is known for its rich history, scenic waterfront parks, and welcoming community. Now, Georgetown County DSS is home to two newly transformed, trauma-informed spaces designed to better support youth, families, and staff.

Because office space was limited, our team partnered with Georgetown DSS leadership to create a flexible Lily Pad room that doubles as a conference room when needed. With the support of the County Director and the Regional Director Andrea Favor, an additional room was also identified and transformed into a dedicated visitation and overflow space.

Before the transformation began, both rooms were professionally painted, creating a fresh foundation for what was to come. With the help of volunteers, we designed spaces that feel less like offices and more like home. The Lily Pad room now features a sleeper sectional, chalkboard and LEGO wall, sensory items, soft lighting, electronics, room-darkening curtains, and a reclining rocking chair—all thoughtfully chosen to create a calming environment where children can rest, play, and feel supported. Scripture displayed in the room offers encouragement and hope to everyone who enters.

The visitation room was designed to foster connection during family visits, with comfortable seating, books, child-friendly activities, and ambient lighting that help create a warm and welcoming atmosphere.

Together, these spaces provide children, families, and DSS professionals with a softer, more comforting environment filled with sensory toys, books, blankets, activity walls, and other trauma-informed features that help make difficult moments a little softer.

06/16/2026

🎶 Before I get to our Summer of Hope update, I have to share this moment.

A few weeks ago, our Creative Director, Cara Grubb, attended the Faith Communities Coalition on Foster Care’s Faith in Action gathering in Detroit.

One of the highlights of the evening was hearing the Detroit Youth Choir perform . Watching these young people sing with so much joy, energy, and confidence was a beautiful reminder of what’s possible when communities come together to support children and families.

The event brought together faith leaders, community organizations, advocates, and child welfare partners from across Michigan who share a common goal: creating brighter futures for children and families.

Attendees also heard from keynote speaker Dr. Monty Burks, a nationally recognized child welfare leader with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, who shared insights on faith, community engagement, and serving children and families through action.

For Lily Pad, it was more than just an event.

It was one of our first opportunities to begin building relationships in Michigan, connect with organizations doing important work, and share the vision for what a Lily Pad can mean for children, victims, and families in crisis.

As we continue our Summer of Hope campaign, I’m reminded that monthly donors make moments like this possible. They help us show up in new communities, build partnerships, and lay the foundation for future Lily Pads.

The spaces we create matter.
The relationships we build matter.
The children and families we serve matter.

💙 Summer of Hope Update: 27 of 100 monthly sustainers
🌸 Goal: 100 by August 31

Thank you for helping us build hope in South Carolina, Michigan, and beyond.

06/12/2026

🎉 We reached our first milestone!
Just a few days ago, we launched our Summer of Hope campaign with a goal of finding 100 monthly sustainers by August 31.

Today, we’re celebrating 25 monthly donors which means we’re officially 25% of the way there!

This milestone isn’t just about a number. It’s about 25 people choosing to invest in hope month after month.
It’s about creating a soft place to land for children experiencing foster care, victims of violence and traumatic crimes, and families in crisis.

It’s about making sure support is there not just today, but for months and years to come.

Recently, one of our monthly donors made her 40th gift. At $25 a month, her generosity has now surpassed $1,000 in support for Lily Pad. That’s the power of consistent giving.
To our 25 sustainers: thank you. Your faithfulness is helping change lives.

And to those who have been thinking about joining us, now is the perfect time. We’re celebrating 25, but we’re already looking toward 50.
💙 25 of 100
🌸 Summer of Hope
🎯 Goal: 100 monthly sustainers by August 31

Will you help us take the next step?

CreateHope

06/09/2026

For many people, summer means vacations, family gatherings, and making memories.

For others, summer can bring uncertainty, instability, and nowhere to turn.

At Lily Pad: A Soft Place to Land, we walk alongside children experiencing foster care, victims of violence and traumatic crimes, and families in crisis. Every day, we witness incredible courage, resilience, and the life-changing impact of a caring community.

This summer, we’re launching our Summer of Hope campaign with a goal of reaching 100 monthly donors by August 31. Monthly giving provides the steady foundation that allows us to continue offering hope, support, resources, and safe spaces to those who need them most.

Whether it’s $25, $35, $50, or $100 a month, your commitment helps ensure that every person who comes through our doors finds a soft place to land.

💙 Join us at the table.
💙 Be one of the 100.
💙 Help create lasting hope.

🔗 Join today: lilypadinc.org

05/27/2026

“Too attached” is not the problem.
Children deserve families willing to love them deeply, even when it’s hard, temporary, or heartbreaking.

The goal is never to stay detached. The goal is always to help a child feel safe, seen, and loved while they’re in our care. 💛

05/26/2026

I had the opportunity to join the Dream Small Podcast during Foster Care Awareness Month, and I’m genuinely grateful for the conversation. We spent over an hour talking about foster care, faith, ministry, the realities foster families face, and the heart behind the work we do through Lily Pad. Honestly, we probably could’ve kept talking for another hour.

The funniest part for me was logging onto Zoom and realizing both hosts were wearing Ohio State sweatshirts. As a Michigan girl, I knew right then we were going to have to overcome some differences first. 😂

But in all seriousness, it was such a meaningful conversation with people who truly understand the ministry and complexity of foster care. I’m thankful for the opportunity to share our story openly and transparently, and I think anyone connected to foster care — whether personally, professionally, or simply from a place of wanting to learn — would enjoy listening to the episode.

✨NEW EPISODE OUT NOW✨

What happens to children in the hours after they enter foster care?

Many children spend hours waiting in offices or sterile conference rooms while their future is being determined. They are exposed to conversations no child should ever hear. As case managers scramble to find an appropriate home for them, there they sit — lost, alone, sad, scared, overlooked.

This week we sit down with Jenni Tice of Lily Pad- “A Soft Place to Land” A NonProfit Organization. Tune in to hear how one foster family turned heartbreak into purpose by creating trauma informed spaces for children in crisis.

Episode 49 is available now on all streaming platforms!

05/26/2026

⚠️ We urgently need volunteers to help care for Lily Pad rooms across South Carolina.

A child could walk into one today.

Not next week.
Not someday.
Today.

And when they do, that room should feel safe, calm, and ready for them. 💚

We’re looking for Volunteer Maintenance Partners in:

📍 **Upstate Region**
• Aiken County

📍 **Midlands Region**
• Fairfield County
• Orangeburg County
• Richland County

📍 **P*e Dee Region**
• Chesterfield County
• Horry County
• Georgetown County
• Horry Adoptions

Here’s what that can look like:

• vacuuming floors before the next child arrives
• wiping down toys after a difficult day
• organizing books and supplies
• straightening up a room so it feels peaceful and cared for
• fixing small things that help the space stay welcoming

These aren’t just tasks.

They help children experiencing foster care walk into a space that feels safe, comforting, and human during one of the hardest moments of their lives.

A few hours each month can make that possible.

Comment **“VOLUNTEER and we’ll send you details. 💚
Or visit https://www.lilypadinc.org/volunteer to learn more and sign up.

And if this matters to you, share this post so more people can step in for children who need us right now.

Every child deserves a soft place to land.

05/25/2026

National Foster Care Month
Day 24 - Prompt “The Part No One Prepares You For”

No one prepares you for the grief that comes with loving children you were never promised you could keep.

Foster care will stretch your heart, expose your limits, challenge your faith, and teach you what unconditional love really looks like. It is beautiful, exhausting, heartbreaking, and sacred all at once.

And even when the outcome is uncertain… safety still matters.
Consistency still matters.
Love still matters.

Sometimes the greatest impact happens in seasons you were never meant to hold forever.

05/23/2026

Barefoot in the WYFF4 studio this morning 😅👠

The second they told me my feet wouldn’t be on camera, the heels came OFF. At almost 5’11”, I try not to completely tower over the people interviewing me 😂

But in all seriousness, during National Foster Care Month, I’m grateful for every opportunity to share the impact Lily Pad is making across South Carolina, now in Michigan, and as we continue expanding into victim care alongside law enforcement.

Huge thank you to Laura Blank and the team for making this happen, and to for giving us the platform to share the story and mission behind Lily Pad. 💜

02/12/2026

Big day in Oconee County 💛🖤

Tomorrow, we’re installing our very first Lily Pad inside a DSS office in 2026, and we’re not doing it alone. Students from Greer High School are showing up to serve, lead, and give back as part of their Spirit Week awareness and fundraising for Lily Pad.

When young people step up for other young people, real change happens.

Oconee County, here we come. 🩵🩷🤍