HALOS 2011 Eve Spratt Awards Give Recognition for Outstanding Service to Local Children

172 (From left) Dr. Sara Schuh, Dr. M. Elizabeth Ralston, and Dr. Eve SprattHALOS hosted the 4th Annual Eve Spratt Award Reception Tuesday, June 14, 2011. The awards are presented annually to recognize an individual for their leadership in the field of protecting and serving abused and neglected children in Charleston, Berkeley or Dorchester Counties.

HALOS, Helping and Lending Outreach Support, is a non-profit organization that provides assistance to abused and neglected children and their caregivers through partnerships with local businesses and faith-based organizations. Founded in 1997 by Dr. Eve Spratt, a child psychiatrist and pediatrician at MUSC, HALOS helps over 2,000 children annually. HALOS is the recipient of the 2011 Erin Hardwick Award for Excellence in Nonprofit Management from the South Carolina Association of Nonprofit Organizations. The HALOS vision is a community in which children and families are safe, healthy, and productive. 

The 2011 Dr. Eve Spratt Award, named after the founder of HALOS, was awarded to Dr. M. Elizabeth Ralston, Executive Director of the Dee Norton Lowcountry Children’s Center in recognition of her lifetime service to maltreated children. The recipient was chosen from nominations received by a Selection Committee and the criteria included someone who embodied “Dr. Spratt’s spirit of going above and beyond the call of professional duty on behalf of abused and neglected children.”  In response to receiving this award Dr. Ralston stated, “It is an honor to receive this award from HALOS, a community agency made up of a wonderful staff, board and many community partners who do so much for the abused children of our community and who support front line professionals who accept the difficult job of working to protect abused children.”

HALOS presented the Charleston County Department of Social Services with a special recognition and created the “HALOS/Charleston County DSS Organizational Commitment Award” in honor of CCDSS work on behalf of abused children.  The first awards were presented to Roper St. Francis Healthcare and John Wesley United Methodist Church.  Both organizations are long-standing HALOS community partners and advocates for abused and neglected children, providing critical goods and volunteer service through their employees and members of the congregation, respectively.  “We value our partnership with HALOS”, says Frank Oakley, Director of Charleston County Department of Social Services.  “Together, we can provide children with critical resources that have a direct impact on their well-being.” Mr. Oakley commended the faith and business communities for their hands-on service and dedication to the children and families involved with CCDSS.

For more information, visit the HALOS website at www.charlestonhalos.org.



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