Our Impact

LENS partnered with the CPD to hold its first outreach event with the Hispanic Community. Over 120 people attended, and 20 bikes were given to the youth by our partner, Pedals 4 Peanuts.

LENS supported the CPD in hosting their annual Halloween Howl event where the police welcomed the Charleston community into the precinct and officers distributed candy and other snacks, donated by LENS, to the youth.

Provides sporting equipment for CPD to distribute in the community. The purpose of Play Now is that CPD officers get to interact with kids in the community in a positive way.

LENS helps provide funding to Camp HOPE, a five-week summer program headed by the Charleston Police Department that targets at-risk youth in poverty areas while engaging them in personal and social responsibility activities.

LENS and CPD volunteers work together to wrap, and deliver gifts to over 300 local children and families for the holidays.

For this event, children who have experienced violent crimes, or lost a loved one to a violent crime, got the chance go shopping for the day with a Charleston Police Officer. LENS donated funds to provide each child with a budget to spend.

For the last 3 years, the CPD has held a fundraiser and gift collection for the Fisher and Ronald McDonald Houses’. This year, LENS contributed funds to purchase gifts for the police officers to deliver to children in Charleston.

LENS provided the funds to purchase Valentine’s Gifts for children at the CPD’s Gathering Center. The Officers were able to deliver the gifts to the kids directly, connecting personally and brightening their day!

The CPD hosted a Bingo Night at the William Terrace Senior Living Center and LENS was able to donate special prizes for the officers to give to all of the winners.

LENS donated the food and drinks for the CPD’s 2nd Annual Open House. This event is open to the public and is a great way for the community to get to know the officers and tour their department.

CPD has a basketball team that plays exhibition games in the community. These games are played against high school kids in the community which helps to develop better relationships and offers the CPD to discuss challenges like bullying etc.

Provide the Community Outreach Division with a large Cargo trailer to carry supplies, equipment , bicycles etc. Trailer will be used to carry supplies, equipment , bicycles to and from community outreach events allowing officers to more easily interact with community kids.

Establish the only Charleston Police Executive Leadership Summit in South Carolina run by the CPD. This program is designed to provide officers with the knowledge and skills to be successful leaders.

A Summer Basketball League held in West Ashley’s forest park. Expected to involve over 400 students as well as adults. Getting kids off the streets and into a park that offers them the opportunity to play basketball and interact with other kids in the community, as well as police officers.

Program focused on teaching children conflict resolution strategies, in partnership with School Resource Officers (SRO). Focus is on teaching young children how to better mange through conflicts in their lives including support from teachers and police officers.

Providing families identified by CPD with Thanksgiving dinners. Brings the CPD and these families closer together.

Supporting Horse Patrol Unit for CPD. The Horse Patrol is valuable for crowd control but also community relationships as the kids enjoy seeing the horses.

The LENS Foundation is so proud to have been able to sponsor the Annual Awards Banquet for the Charleston Police Department this year and last! The goal of this event is to recognize and honor the incredible police officers who put their lives on the line to keep our communities safe every single day.

LENS supported the CPD in purchasing patrol bikes for officers. The new patrol bikes make it easier for our officers to connect and engage with locals, as compared to patrolling from a the barrier of a patrol car.

LENS is helping fund a project to create a wall of recognition for the officers in their training headquarters. Currently, there is no formal space to highlight Charleston Police Officers who have died in the line of duty.

LENS is proud to have sponsored two teams from the Charleston Police Department to compete in the Bulldog Challenge this year! Funds raised by the Bulldog Challenge contribute to two annual scholarships given out to deserving cadets or Marines within the NROTC Unit.

Golf outings, sporting, entertainment & Bulldog Tour tickets, Charleston Landing tickets and other events. Provide CPD officers and their families with access to entertainment activities , letting them know that the community appreciates what they do.