COLUMBIA, S.C. (WIS) – The season of giving is now upon us, and many South Carolinians will be opening their wallets and checkbooks over the next month to support causes they care about.

Each year, Americans collectively donate hundreds of billions of dollars to charity, with much of that giving during the holiday season, according to the National Philanthropic Trust.

But South Carolina Secretary of State Mark Hammond wants donors to be wary of charities that might take advantage of that kindness.

“There’s a lot of organizations out there that sometimes give less than 10% toward their charitable purpose, and we know that our charitable donors want the best bang for their buck, and they want to make sure that their donations are actually going to those missions and to serve those purposes,” Hammond said.

Hammond recommends anyone in the giving spirit do their research before they open their wallets.

People can look up organizations through the Secretary of State’s public database to find out how much of their expenses were allocated to program services in their most recent year’s filings. They can also call the Charities Division at 1-888-CHARITI or email the division to learn more about an organization before they give.

This information is also available through the free “Give Smart SC” app.

“It will tell you how much they’ve raised, how much goes to their charitable programs. It will give you all the information that you need to make a wise giving choice,” Hammond said.

If you have concerns about a charitable organization, you can file an online, confidential complaint with the Secretary of State’s Office.

And the secretary of state has one final piece of advice for South Carolinians in the giving spirit.

“Give from the heart, but please give smart,” Hammond said.

Each year, the Secretary of State’s Office recognizes 10 charities as “angels” that follow state law and spend at least 80% of their revenue on charitable work.

The following organizations were honored this year:

• AccessHealth Horry, Inc., Conway, SC – 96.1% of expenditures went toward program services last year
• Bluffton Community Soup Kitchen, Bluffton, SC – 82.6%
• Ezekiel Ministries, Inc., Columbia, SC – 85.4%
• Family Promise of York County, Inc., Rock Hill, SC – 88.4%
• Greater Florence Habitat for Humanity, Inc., Florence, SC – 85.0%
• Rabbit Sanctuary, Inc., Simpsonville, SC – 93.6%
• Ride To Work Ministry Nonprofit, Inc., Seneca, SC – 91.4%
• Sleep in Heavenly Peace, Inc., Pocatello, ID – 95.1%
• The Barrier Islands Free Medical Clinic, Inc., Johns Island, SC – 82.9%
• United Way of Pickens County, Easley, SC – 85.7%

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The South Carolina Education Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big. Here’s a look at Nov. 26, 2025, results for each game:

CLEVELAND, S.C. (AP) — Dozens of rescuers scoured rugged terrain on Tuesday using drones, helicopters, offroad vehicles and dogs to search for a grandmother and three grandchildren who authorities believe got lost while hiking in a South Carolina state park.

The Greenville County Sheriff’s Office said a boy called 911 on Monday evening saying he and three family members had been lost for about three hours in the area of Caesars Head State Park near Cleveland, South Carolina. A vehicle matching one described by the boy was found at the Raven Cliff Falls trailhead, the sheriff’s office said in a statement.

The sheriff’s office identified the missing hikers as Tonda Michelin, 53; Melody Bangs, 14; Michael Lawton, 11; and Dale Moser, 9. Authorities have not said whether they live locally, or why the grandmother did not place the call.

During the 911 call, the child said his phone battery had almost run out, Lt. Ryan Flood of the sheriff’s office told WHNS-TV.

The search began Monday and at least 50 people from half a dozen agencies including the National Guard are involved in the search.

Caesars Head State Park is about 30 miles (50 kilometers) northwest of Greenville, South Carolina, and is a protected environment for rare animals and plants. The Ravens Cliff Falls trail is a 4-mile (5.6-kilometer) round trip, leading to Caesars Head, a dramatic granite overlook atop the Blue Ridge Escarpment that provides views of many waterfalls.

Another popular trail — a 6.6-mile (10.6-kilometer) round trip — leads to a suspension bridge that crosses the creek above the 420-foot (130-meter) tall Raven Cliff Falls, according to the state park’s website. All the Caesars Head trails are rated as advanced and are in a wilderness setting, according to the website.

Caesars Head connects to Jones Gap State Park in the Mountain Bridge Wilderness Area, which includes 17,000 acres (7,000 hectares) of mountainous forest, the website says.