Family Promise of Beaufort County Shines the Spotlight on Melissa Beere

As a volunteer driven organization, we are shining the spotlight each month on one of our dedicated volunteers who are the heart of Family Promise. They work tirelessly and greatly deserve our thanks and recognition!

In January, we shine the Volunteer Spotlight on Melissa Beere who, along with her husband, Chris, serves as the Family Promise Host Coordinator for The Baptist Church of Beaufort where she has been a member for 16 years.

Melissa is starting her fourth year as Host Coordinator.  For more than five years before that, she and her family volunteered with the program providing meals and staying overnight.

For the Beeres, Family Promise has long been something they have been dedicated to together. In addition to Chris, who she has been married to for 23 years, they are joined in their volunteer work by 19-year-old son, Will, and 11-year-old daughter, Tina.   

Their family enjoys creating a welcoming atmosphere for guests.  “We try to provide a sense of belonging; to help them feel at home.” Melissa says.

Other volunteers from the congregation include Cindy Duryea, who was Coordinator for several years; Susan Dickey; Lauralee Townsend; and Susan McKessy.  In addition they have volunteers who belong to churches not currently involved with Family Promise along with folks from their newly found support church the Parish Church of St. Helena.

In addition to being a working mom and serving as Host Coordinator, Melissa has been a member of the Exchange Club of Beaufort and does ticket sales for the Ghost Tours benefiting the Child Abuse Prevention Association (CAPA), both for 12 years.  For 15 years she has done litter pick up with Keep America Beautiful and works in the nursery at The Baptist Church of Beaufort on Sundays.

“I consider myself to be a South Carolina native, although I was not born here,” Melissa says about her upbringing.  Her father was born on Orange Grove Plantation in 1940 and her mother’s family moved to the Low Country from Columbia in 1943. Her parents grew up here, went to high school together, and once they graduated from college got married. Her father joined the Air Force and became a pilot. “We traveled around as military families do until my father’s death when I was seven,” she says. “My mother moved my brothers and me to Beaufort at that time, but we visited my grandparents here regularly before that.”

Melissa says one of the many things she enjoys about Beaufort is the hospitality of the area… “It’s almost as warm as the summers here!”

When she is not busy volunteering, Melissa enjoys traveling, cooking, reading and spending time with her family.

Melissa gives graciously of her time and talents. It is because of dedicated people like her that Family Promise continues to meet the needs of homeless children and their families. We extend to her a huge thank you!