By Steve Skardon | The circumstances of many destitute South Carolinians this holiday season are among the most distressing since Hurricane Hugo. The aftermath of massive flooding, broken dams, and swollen rivers has left thousands in the Midlands and Lowcountry displaced and in chaos as they face the holiday season.

Assistance from both government and non-profit agencies is slow, and many of these families cannot expect to be in back in their own stable living situations for another six to eight months.

The effects of this netherworld weigh heavily on children, especially with Christmas only weeks away. Many of them have been forced to leave their friends and neighborhoods and sleep on the floors of generous family members, while their parents struggle to make ends meet.