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

10/20/2026

Progress from the beginning.

Lily Pad began in 2022 with a simple idea: children waiting for a foster placement deserve a calm, comfortable place to wait. Watch how our community has grown, one volunteer and one room at a time, with DSS partners, donors, and local businesses beside us.

There is more to do, and we are grateful to everyone who has helped us get here.

10/13/2026

Meet Lily Pad: A Soft Place to Land.
Lily Pad is a South Carolina nonprofit that creates warm, welcoming rooms inside DSS offices and police facilities for children waiting for a foster placement. When a child’s day changes in an instant, a calm, comforting space can make a big difference.
Swipe to meet the volunteers, supporters, and see a room all which bring our mission to life.
Follow along to see how our rooms come together and how you can help.

10/13/2026

Looking forward to listening in when this podcast goes live! We’ll keep you posted.

Today I got to interview Cara of Lily Pad- “A Soft Place to Land” A NonProfit Organization. What a thoughtful organization and precious gift they are giving to kids in the middle of a tumultuous time!

I'd like to start the conversation now, as we're heading into holiday season. There are many families that have serious or time-consuming things going on in their lives--special needs, fostering, serious health issues, recent deaths.

Let's make a list of very practical ways we can reach out to these families and help. I'll start.

One of my favorite ideas is mowing a lawn or shoveling a driveway for a family that doesn't have time to do it.

Your turn!

10/09/2026

Eleven years ago today, these boys became ours forever. 💙

But I remember the moment my heart claimed them long before a judge ever did.

It was Zack’s second birthday. We had planned for him to spend part of his special day with his biological parents. I dressed him in the cutest outfit and told him they were bringing cake and presents. I drove him to the DSS office for their family visit.

They never showed up.

As I walked out of that office, trying to explain to a little boy that we would go home and celebrate, I called Ben. Somewhere in that conversation I said, “They will NOT do this to my boys.”

“My boys.”

I remember the fear that washed over me in that parking lot. I knew something had changed. We had opened our home to be a bridge, to love children while their families worked towards reunification. But somewhere along the way, these two had become our sons in my heart, and I was absolutely terrified of what loving them that much could mean.

And look at us now. Eleven years since adoption day. Two brothers playing football on the same team, and me proudly wearing “Those Are My Boys” on my back.

Today, they wanted to celebrate their adoption day, and Zack told Grandma that October 8th is the most important day of the year.

I think about that boy on his 2nd birthday waiting for a celebration that never happened. Now I get to watch him celebrate the day he became our son.

There is something incredibly beautiful and something incredibly heartbreaking about that. I know our family’s joy exists alongside another families loss. I can grieve the circumstances that made adoption necessary and still be overwhelmingly grateful for the family God built.

Both things can be true.

It’s one of the reasons Lily Pad means so much to me. I’ve been the foster mom walking into a DSS office with a child whose heart I desperately wanted to protect. I’ve loved children without knowing whether I’d get to love them tomorrow.

I know that not every child’s story ends like ours, but every child deserves to feel safe, loved, and valued, no matter what their story holds.

Happy Adoption day to our boys! What a gift it is to be your mom. 💙

10/02/2026

OUR OCTOBER ISSUE IS LIVE! 🗣️

From Michelin Stars, the Rural vs. Urban Divide, and Manufacturing to Lily Pad Safe Spaces for Youth in Foster Care, we are eager to share statewide news with you!

To view this month's issue:
https://www.greenvillebusinessmag.com/stories/greenville-business-magazine-october-2026,57657

To order a copy: https://www.cognitoforms.com/IntegratedMediaPublishing1/IssueOrderForm

Do you have any news to share? Reach out to Donna Walker, Editor at [email protected] for more information!

09/25/2026

Foster Fact Friday 🩵

Right now, more than 70,000 children experiencing foster care have an adoption plan already in place. That means the system has identified them as needing a permanent family. What's still missing is the family itself.

That's not a small gap. It's 70,000 kids who are ready and waiting for someone to say yes.

Adoption isn't the only way to show up for a child in foster care. Volunteering, and showing support for them is more than they could ever ask for.

Follow along every Friday as we share what foster care actually looks like. The facts, the need, and the ways you can help.

Source:
According to the most recent data from the federal Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System (AFCARS), there are over 70,421 children who have a plan.

09/22/2026

Approximately 193 children are currently experiencing foster care in Florence County. 🩵

In September 2024, Lily Pad transformed three spaces at Florence County DSS into a living room and two bedrooms designed to bring comfort and support to children and families.

St. Luke Lutheran Church helped make it possible. Pastor Rusty Kehl led volunteers who painted, prepped, and assembled furniture before our team arrived.

And that partnership introduced us to Paige Johnson. Paige helped coordinate the funding and volunteers for that project. Today, she serves as President of Lily Pad’s Board of Directors.

That’s what community partnership can do. It transforms rooms, builds relationships, and creates lasting impact.

Want to be part of the next one? Reach out to learn how you can help create A Soft Place to Land.

09/18/2026

Foster Fact Friday 🩵

National foster care numbers move up and down from year to year, but one thing hasn’t changed: there still aren’t enough licensed foster homes to meet the need.

The gap isn’t just a headline statistic. It’s a real shortage playing out in real communities, including ours.

Every family that steps up to foster, volunteer, or give helps close that gap one child at a time.

Follow along every Friday as we share what foster care actually looks like: the facts, the need, and the ways you can help.

Source:
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families (ACF), A Home for Every Child initiative. Nationwide, for every 100 children entering foster care, only 57 licensed foster homes are available.

09/15/2026

A soft place to land in Sumter County! 💚

Located in South Carolina’s P*e Dee region and bordering Richland County, Sumter County now has two welcoming spaces for children and families: a Lily Pad room and a visitation room.

When we first reached out in 2025, the staff were excited to receive a Lily Pad, but they had a move on the horizon! Together, we planned for a 2026 installation in their new office. They kept us in the loop throughout construction, sending progress photos and updates on when the building would be ready. That ongoing communication helped us schedule an August installation, and we’re so grateful for their collaboration and desire to care well for the kids who come through their doors.

Both rooms were freshly painted during construction, so we added colorful arches to bring warmth and architectural interest to the spaces. Pull-out sofa beds, washable rugs, chalkboard houses, LEGO walls, sensory supports, soft lighting, electronics, books, and coloring supplies give children places to rest, play, and connect.

A big thank-you to the volunteers who helped bring these rooms together! Every piece helps meet a real need, offering children and families dignity, comfort, and a soft place to land during a traumatic time in their lives. 💚