News

From left, Katy Motsinger, director, Development & Marketing; Executive Director Emily Parrish; and J. Richards McCrae

The past year has been tough on everyone, but it’s been particularly difficult for the young people the Children’’ Attention Home in Rock Hill cares for.

So many of them have limited contact with family to begin with, says Executive Director Emily Parrish. With the pandemic, they were also cut off from school, sports, church and whatever other institutions provided them with human contact and emotional support.

So the Home tried to make up for it with socially-distanced events that gave the kids something to look forward to, from special programs in-house to inviting food trucks onto the campus.

It was yet another challenge in doing what the nonprofit has done since it was established in 1970, serving children in foster care and teens without reliable shelter. It offers temporary shelter, compassionate support and individualized care for every child. Since its establishment by the Rock Hill Ministerial Association, the Home has provided temporary shelter for more than 8,500 children. Today, it serves children from all counties in South Carolina.

Partner Richards McCrae has chosen the Home as the eighth of 10 community organizations to receive a $2,000 gift in celebration of Morton & Gettys law firm’s 20th anniversary. Each month of the program, attorneys and staff have taken turns making this selection.

“For more than fifty years, the Children’s Attention Home has provided a safe and nurturing environment to thousands of children, not only from here in York County but from around the state, during their greatest time of need,” said McCrae, who is a former board member of the nonprofit. “Morton & Gettys is proud to support this incredible organization.”

“We were so excited” to hear of the gift from Morton & Gettys, said Emily Parrish. “Richards has always been such a good supporter of us. And it’s been a little bit of a tough year for us.”

She said the donation will likely go to general residential programs, which covers various expenses: Food, clothing, uniforms and supplies for school, and such items as laundry detergent. “It’s amazing how much laundry detergent we use.””Cash for food is also particularly helpful, since most residents now are older kids, and “Teenagers eat a lot more.”

The Home has 28 residents right now, with a capacity of 42.

How can others in the community help, as Morton & Gettys has done? Parrish points to the green “Donate Now” button on the homepage at https://attentionhome.org/. Or click on the “Connect” pulldown menu at the top to find other ways to help. The Home has a constant need for volunteers to do many things: working with the children, providing gifts and cakes as “birthday buddies,” and everything from helping in the office to performing landscaping around the grounds.

“They can do really anything,” said Parrish. There are “a lot of opportunities.”