The Meyer Center for Special Children in Greenville has been dedicated to aiding children with disabilities for 70 years. This important nonprofit organization provides both education and therapy, which makes their fundraising efforts crucial. In fact, fundraising accounts for 46% of their annual budget. One of the center’s major fundraising events is the Holiday Luncheon, which has become a beloved occasion.
This year marks the 25th annual Holiday Luncheon, sponsored by United Community, and it will take place on December 4 at the Greenville Convention Center. The event expects to draw around 1,000 attendees and will feature a silent auction offering approximately 300 items for bidding. The goal for this year’s luncheon is to raise $410,000.
Kathy Higgins, the founder of this popular event, shared that over the past 25 years, the Holiday Luncheon has brought in $4.2 million to support the Meyer Center. “This money has been used for therapy sessions, adding classrooms, purchasing specialized equipment, providing scholarships, enhancing the school library, and renovating the school,” she explained.
This year’s luncheon will celebrate the center’s significant contributions to the lives of students and their families for seven decades. Located at 1132 Rutherford Road, the Meyer Center specializes in providing speech, occupational, and physical therapy in a nurturing preschool environment.
Reagin Foster, a parent at the Meyer Center, will share her daughter Brooks’ journey at the event. “She loved it from day one,” Foster said. “She enjoyed circle time and made friendships for the first time outside her siblings.”
Brooks was diagnosed with a rare genetic syndrome called Pontine Tegmental Cap Dysplasia at 16 months, which has left her nonverbal, partially deaf, blind, and unable to walk unaided. Reagin noted that the center’s therapists have helped Brooks develop new skills, including typing her name on a computer.
“The Meyer Center has become a special place for us, and it’s a passion for our family because of the valuable services it offers to our community,” Foster added.
The first Meyer Center Ladies Luncheon took place in 1999 at the Hilton Hotel in Greenville, attracting around 350 attendees and raising $35,000 with a silent auction of just 50 items. Fast forward to 2023, and the Holiday Luncheon hosted nearly 1,000 guests, featuring a silent auction with 315 items and raising $397,400 for the nonprofit.
Dr. Leslie Meyer established the Meyer Center in 1954, and it has continued to grow and make a positive impact on children’s lives.
