MYRTLE BEACH, SC (WBTW) – News 13 employees donated their time to help others on Friday, June 16.

Following an earlier kick-off event with the News 13 Count On Kids event, teams of employees spent time in Lumberton, NC, running a food drive for the United Way; others spent time in Florence or Conway, helping Habitat for Humanity build homes for two families.

Brandon Herring was in Lumberton collect food item donations to go towards children with food insecurity. Brandon Herring and another WBTW employee raised $1,091 worth of non-perishable foods for the “Bakpak Pals” program. That program is run by the Communities in Schools (CIS) of Robeson County, which hopes to improve educational opportunities and outcomes in Robeson County. Improving child nutrition is a way to help achieve this goal.

Meanwhile, teams of WBTW employees including Meghan Miller were busy building homes in Conway and Florence.

In Conway, WBTW employees helped build a house for Chyenne Hill and her eight children, Chiniece, Jabrairon, Justin, Ahchiya, Tyteonna, Jameson, Juleah, and Jacoby. The Hill family was accepted into the Habitat Home Buyer Program in July 2016. Chyenne applied so she could provide a better life for her children. They currently live in an overcrowded mobile home.

In Florence, employees helped build the future home of the Mwanzia family.

Eunice Mwanzia is a widow with four children, Timothy, James, Faith, and Joshua Lokibe. After losing her husband to his battle with cancer several years ago, Eunice became the sole provider for her family. Now, Eunice works two jobs to proive for her family, while James and Faith attend FMU with scholarships. James is studying to be a doctor, Faith wants to be a teacher, and Joshua wants to be a mechanic.

When the family downsized to a smaller home, that meant living in an unsafe place. Faith has encountered bullet holes in her bedroom window from the drug infested area. The home also is not handicap accessible, which does not allow Timothy, the oldest sibling, to live with the family. Instead, he lives in a home for special needs in Hartsville, due to his cerebral palsy.

Eunice stated this was the best gift she has received in a long time and that God has truly blessed them. A dream where everyone will have their own bedroom and Timothy will be able to be reunited as one big happy family.

Check out how WBTW participated in the Founders Day of Caring volunteering events below: