Palmetto Dunes’ Charitable Organization
cares…

• About our island’s unique environment

• About our local youth

• About building camaraderie among our neighbors, our visitors, and
our youth to preserve the island’s natural habitat

Palmetto Dunes Cares is a charitable organization whose motto is: giving back while building community. Our mission is to support local youth and enhance the natural environment in the greater Hilton Head Island area through grants and scholarships.

Since its inception in 2018, PD Cares has awarded over $302,472.26 to local non-profits in the greater Hilton Head area that support our local youth. In 2024, we awarded more than $65,000 to various charities in the greater Hilton Head and Bluffton area including two scholarships to local high school seniors.

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Supporting Environmental Stewardship & Our Youth

OUR PURPOSE

Raise awareness, encourage giving, and increase the charitable impact of all those who live, invest, work, and play in the Palmetto Dunes Community

Check us out!

PALMETTO DUNES cares….about our ISLAND

GRANTS

Palmetto Dunes Cares provides grants to organizations providing services to local youth or the environment.

Since its inception, PD Cares has awarded over $300,000 in grants to local non-profits in the greater Hilton Head area. Our educational scholarship fund is able to provide funding to previous scholarship recipients and grant a scholarship to a new local Hilton Head Island high school senior each year. For 2024 we awarded $65,000 to local charities.

List of 2024 grant awardees:

1. Neighborhood Outreach Connection
2. The Children’s Center Inc.
3. Sea Turtle Patrol HHI
4. The Hilton Head Island Deep Well Project
5. Coastal Discovery Museum
6. Lowcountry Legal Volunteers

PALMETTO DUNES cares….about our YOUTH

Since 2023, we have awarded $25,000 in educational scholarships to 3 qualified students who demonstrate a commitment to community service and academic excellence. This year’s scholarship award winners are Ben Lewis, Lea Sheeran, and Liliana Hernandez.

PALMETTO DUNES cares….about our unique ENVIRONMENT

ECO-TOURISM OUTREACH PROGRAMS

Turtle Trot
The Turtle Trot 5k is a family-friendly fun run series held weekly on the beach the Wednesday before Easter, May 28-August 13, and on Thanksgiving morning.

Join in, meet and interact with your neighbors, our staff, and guests of our community!

• The 3.1-mile course may be run (or walked) by any who live, work, invest, or play here!
• Registration is online only and is $30 prior to race day and $35 day of the race and includes a t-shirt.
• Kids under 12 run for $15.
• Additional race t-shirts can be purchased for $15.
• All races begin at 8am.
• Register for a 2025 Turtle Trot!

Turtle Talk
Turtle Talk educates participants on what they can do to help preserve Hilton Head Island’s hatching sea turtles and learn what is happening on our nesting beach.

• Turtle Talks will be held on Wednesday nights June-August on the beach.
• The program is designed for both visitors and residents
• Cost to attend is $20 per person, capacity is limited, this event sells out every week, and all children under the age of 12 need adult supervision.
• Online registration is required!
• 2025 Turtle Talk registration coming March 2025!

Event Notes: You will need to be able to walk out on the beach, so those with mobility challenges might have difficulty. If you have problems standing for a long period of time or sitting in the sand, please bring a chair. The Turtle Talk is best-enjoyed by adults and children ages five and older, but all children over the age of two are required to purchase a ticket to attend.

DONATIONS/FUNDRAISING

Palmetto Dunes Cares is funded by donations, local events, and Eco-tourism events such as weekly Beach Turtle Trots, Turtle Talks and the annual Thanksgiving Turtle Trot 5k.

Funds raised by Palmetto Dunes Cares are awarded in our grants and scholarships through the Community Foundation of the Lowcountry (CFL).  The CFL is a 501c3 organization that currently manages our funds and over 300 other local funds.

IN THE NEWS

ADVISORY COMMITTEE

Lauri Davis

Nina Greenplate

Alicia Harrington

Abbey Hightower

Randall Jones

Raye Kramer

Nancy Novak

Bill Dix; PDPOA