CHARLESTON COUNTY, S.C. (WCBD) – More than a dozen volunteers gathered in West Ashley early Saturday morning to clean up a homeless encampment and help those in need.
The cleanup took place in a wooded area behind the Food Lion grocery store off Savannah Highway and Ashley Town Center Drive.
Charleston resident Olivia Grafton organized the event with help from Charleston County Sheriff Kristen Graziano after seeing numerous posts on social media. “People were complaining about it, but nobody was taking action. So, I took it upon myself to gather a group of people and come out here to start this event,” Grafton said.
Roughly 15 volunteers, including Sheriff Graziano, worked to clean up the encampments that were either destroyed or abandoned. They hope that offering a hand will remind others about the ongoing issues of homelessness in the area.
Grafton’s younger nephew, William, also participated in the community cleanup. “I just think it would help a lot,” he said, noting that he wanted to see if they could help some people in need.