Lily Pad Celebrates Four Years of Impact at Inaugural A Night of Hope Gala, Raising More Than $68,000

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Lily Pad Celebrates Four Years of Impact at Inaugural A Night of Hope Gala, Raising More Than $68,000 

190 guests gathered to honor the people and partnerships creating safe spaces for children and individuals experiencing crisis

GREENVILLE, S.C. (Oct. 9, 2026) – Lily Pad: A Soft Place to Land, a nonprofit creating trauma-informed, welcoming spaces for children and individuals impacted by crisis, abuse or violence, welcomed 190 guests to City Club of Greenville on Thursday, Oct. 1, for its Inaugural Gala: A Night of Hope.

Designed as an evening of gratitude rather than a traditional fundraiser, the gala celebrated God's faithfulness over Lily Pad's first four years and honored the partners who have made its mission possible. The evening also raised more than $68,000, not including pledges and in-kind donations.

"When Ben and I created our first Lily Pad, we simply wanted children entering foster care to have somewhere safe and comfortable to land," said Jennifer Tice, co-founder and executive director of Lily Pad. "We could never have imagined all the ways these spaces would come to serve people experiencing some of life's hardest moments. And none of it would be possible without the people who have chosen to love and serve alongside us. That's what this evening was about: celebrating them."

Stories From the Front Lines

A highlight of the evening was hearing from professionals who see Lily Pad's impact firsthand. Charlsey Maner, a permanency caseworker with South Carolina DSS Upstate Adoptions, shared how Lily Pad spaces give children a place to sleep, siblings a place to play and families a moment of peace during difficult transitions. "Lily Pad is planting seeds that they rarely ever get to experience the harvest from. But I get to see it every day," Maner said.

Sgt. Sarah Arms of the Spartanburg County Sheriff's Office Special Victims Unit spoke about Lily Pad's expansion into law enforcement. In just a few months, the unit's Lily Pad has welcomed more than 100 families, including children, survivors of trafficking and sexual assault, and grieving families. "To most people, the Lily Pad is just a renovated room. To us, it's hope with four walls," Arms said.

Guests also stepped inside the Traveling Lily Pad Experience, a recreated Lily Pad room with comfortable seating, books, toys and sensory resources. The evening was made possible by sponsors including presenting sponsor ANCKR, LLC, whose sponsorship honored the life and memory of Ronald David Wilson.

Lily Pad's Growing Impact

Since 2022, Lily Pad has installed 86 trauma-informed rooms across 47 child welfare and law enforcement locations in South Carolina and Michigan. What began as a mission to keep children entering foster care from spending their hardest days in government offices has grown to serve families and individuals impacted by crisis, abuse or violence.

As Lily Pad works toward completing installations in every South Carolina DSS county office by the end of 2027, it is also expanding partnerships with law enforcement and investing in the ongoing care of existing spaces. Funds raised through A Night of Hope will help Lily Pad create new spaces while sustaining the resources and operations needed to serve communities for years to come.

PHOTOS: Gala photos are available here. 

Please courtesy "Riley C. Photography." 

INTERVIEWS: Jennifer Tice, co-founder and executive director of Lily Pad, is available for interviews about the gala and Lily Pad's continued growth.

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About Lily Pad: A Soft Place to Land

Lily Pad: A Soft Place to Land works to create safe, welcoming, trauma-informed spaces with supportive resources for individuals experiencing crisis. Founded in 2022, Lily Pad has installed 86 rooms in 47 child welfare and law enforcement locations across South Carolina and Michigan and continues toward its goal of expanding into child welfare offices statewide and beyond. Lily Pad restores dignity, safety and comfort during moments of crisis. Learn more or get involved at LilyPadInc.org.