Sapelo Island Cultural & Revitalization Society Inc

Freedom reigns on Sapelo Island. Long ago, the enslaved ancestors of today's Gullah-Geechee descendants laid the foundation for that freedom, knowing that one day their efforts would bear fruit. These descendants were taught to honor and cherish the West African traditions and culture that have been passed down to them by their loved ones to this very day. 

Today, SICARS leads the charge in working to preserve the cultural heritage of these families, in both word and deed. 

Part of what makes Sapelo Island, Georgia a place of power and solitude is the continued existence of African American land ownership, despite the burden of rising property taxes, despite the burden of fighting development, despite the burden of fighting for the rights we all should have.  A significant key to preserving the culture is land retention. It's on the land that Gullah-Geechee families live, meet and share meals, stories and wisdom. A natural environment--comprised of beautiful forests and wildlife that the Gullah-Geechee protect--provides a place for beauty, reflection and exploration. Home, then, is the smell of mullet smoking, the low sound of chuckling kin, and the combination of land and family shelter. 

There are some who are fighting hard to gentrify Sapelo. Current zoning code changes at the county level threaten to raise already high property taxes. For over thirty years, SICARS has been working to counter this threat. We have sponsored wills clinics, heirs' property trainings and provided descendants with funds to lessen their tax burden. This Giving Tuesday fundraiser asks for monies to support SICARS' organizational capacity building, program development and land retention efforts. 

You can give online at https://www.gagives.org/story/Sapelo . If you're a supporter of the island and its culture, please consider donating today. If you have questions or would like to know more about our organization, please visit our website at www.sicars.org or call 912-485-2197. We appreciate your interest, your support, and your donations. No amount is too big or too small. Every penny counts. 

Thank you for Standing with Sapelo!