Lily Pad Refreshes Greenville County DSS Office to Provide Trauma-Informed Spaces for Children in Foster Care
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Lily Pad Refreshes Greenville County DSS Office to Provide Trauma-Informed Spaces for Children in Foster Care
Updated Living Room-Style Rooms Offer Comfort, Safety, and Resources for Children and Youth in Foster Care
GREENVILLE, S.C. (April 14, 2026) – Lily Pad: A Soft Place to Land, a local nonprofit creating trauma-informed, welcoming spaces for children, victims of trauma, and others experiencing crisis, celebrated the refresh of its Greenville County Lily Pad with a ribbon-cutting ceremony today.
“This space is about so much more than new paint or refreshed rooms. It’s about creating a place where children experiencing foster care feel seen, safe, and valued the moment they walk through the door. We believe every child is beautifully and wonderfully made, and they deserve to be treated that way, especially on their hardest days. These spaces are one way we remind them they matter,” said Jennifer Tice, co-founder of Lily Pad.
Lily Pad creates safe, calming environments where children and youth can rest, play, and feel supported during difficult transitions - aligning with the organization’s belief that “no child should spend their worst day in a cubicle.”
Lily Pad co-founders Jennifer and Benjamin Tice were joined by representatives from the South Carolina Department of Social Services, including Ned Moore, Greenville County DSS Director; community partners; and local supporters. Lily Pad spaces are made possible through local partnerships, volunteers, and donors, reflecting a community-wide commitment to caring for children in crisis. Special recognition was given to Brookwood Church for generously providing volunteers and financial support for the refreshed space and to Fruition Flooring for installing the beautiful new floors.
The Greenville Lily Pad now features new flooring, fresh paint, updated furnishings, improved lighting, and thoughtful design elements that foster a home‑like atmosphere, creating a space that feels more like a living room than an office waiting area. Lily Pad originally opened this Greenville County space in 2022 and continues to partner closely with the South Carolina Department of Social Services to ensure it remains welcoming, functional, and ready for every child who walks through the door. Beyond building and refreshing rooms, Lily Pad remains actively involved in their ongoing care – providing maintenance, updates, and support so these spaces are always prepared to receive children during some of their most difficult moments.
Additional Details About Lily Pad
Lily Pad works one space at a time to meet the needs of each child welfare office and the children, victims of trauma, and others experiencing crisis who use them. Rooms typically include TVs, gaming systems, books, board games, Chromebooks, couches, sensory bins, desks, activity areas, age‑appropriate toys, and soft, clean linens. The environments are funded and furnished through the generosity of volunteers and private donors nationwide.
Lily Pad has now transformed more than 40 Lily Pads across South Carolina. The organization is working to expand its model further, with the long‑term goal of placing Lily Pad spaces in child welfare offices statewide and beyond.
Why This Matters
The environments people encounter during moments of crisis shape how they experience those moments and what comes next. For children entering foster care - and others facing trauma - a space designed for comfort and dignity can help reduce stress and begin to restore calm. Rooted in faith, Lily Pad’s mission is built on the belief that every person is inherently valuable and deserving of dignity, safety, and care, especially in moments of uncertainty.
Did you know?
There are approximately 3,400 children in foster care in South Carolina. Supporting Lily Pad’s work helps ensure more children and youth encounter safe and healing environments when they need them most.
PHOTOS: Before‑and‑after photos of the Greenville County Lily Pad renovation are here.
Please courtesy Lily Pad: A Soft Place to Land.
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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 created more than 40 thoughtfully designed environments across South Carolina and continues toward its goal of expanding Lily Pad spaces statewide and beyond. Lily Pad restores dignity, safety, and comfort during moments of crisis. Learn more or get involved at LilyPadInc.org.
