On average, there are 2 children abandoned every week in South Carolina. These children are left scared and confused, and it is up to organizations like Pendleton Place to help them feel safe again.
Elijah
Two weeks before Christmas last year, 5 year-old Elijah was brought to Pendleton Place after law enforcement found him wandering the streets in his neighborhood. He was looking for his 'Mommy'. After learning that the house she was living in was about to be raided by police looking for drugs, his mother ran away on foot. She left little Elijah alone in the street. He struggled to run after her, but could never catch up. He spent nearly two hours walking alone before he was found and brought to Pendleton Place. Elijah was scared and confused. The mother that he loved so much had abandoned him without a second thought, and Elijah couldn’t understand why. Neither could we.
Christmas can be an especially difficult time for children at the shelter. Although they are in a safer place, many children don’t understand why they have been taken away from their parents and miss the home that was familiar to them. Each year at Pendleton Place, we become a new family for nearly 230 children who have been hurt by the people they loved and trusted most. It is our goal to make sure that every child at Pendleton Place is able to create new memories filled with laughter, love, and tenderness.
When Elijah woke up on Christmas morning, he still missed his 'Mommy'. But he had presents under the tree, a warm meal to eat, and loving arms to hold him when he needed it most. Elijah wasn’t at Pendleton Place long, but the time he did spend with us was meaningful. We made sure he knew that he would never be left alone again. A couple weeks later, Elijah left Pendleton Place to live with his aunt in Virginia, where his healing could continue.