South Carolina H 5654: Gracie Hicks

Bill Text

2025-2026 Bill 5654 Text of Previous Version (May. 05, 2026) - South Carolina Legislature Online 

South Carolina General Assembly
126th Session, 2025-2026

Bill 5654

Indicates Matter Stricken
Indicates New Matter

(Text matches printed bills. Document has been reformatted to meet World Wide Web specifications.)

House: Hewitt

Attorney: Hilton

Drafting Assistant: Newboult

Date: May 04, 2026

DOC. ID.: /LEGISLATIVE 
COUNCIL/PH/DRAFTS/LC-0283PH-EB26/LC-0283PH-EB26.DOCX

A house RESOLUTION

To recognize and honor Gracie 
Hicks, of Murrells Inlet, for her outstanding service, leadership, and impact to 
communities throughout the palmetto state.

Whereas, Gracie Hicks, of Murrells Inlet, is a twenty-five-year-old second-year 
law student at Charleston School of Law, who has dedicated many years to 
tirelessly serving her community. Prior to attending law school, Gracie 
graduated magna cum laude from Wofford College in 2023 with a Bachelor of 
Science degree. While there, she received the Henry Freeman Service award for 
co-founding Wofford's Law, Justice and Innocence Initiative, which raises 
awareness of wrongful convictions. Recognizing that South Carolina is one of 
only thirteen states without an innocence initiative, she remains committed to 
advocating for equity within the judicial system; and

Whereas, at thirteen, Gracie suffered a serious injury that required an 
emergency stay in the children's hospital at the Medical University of South 
Carolina. Arriving with little more than hope for her recovery, her family was 
deeply impacted by a simple act of kindness when a family friend provided a 
care package of basic hygiene items. This experience inspired Gracie to address 
the often-overlooked issue of hygiene insecurity. Upon learning that 
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits do not cover 
essential hygiene products, she founded the nonprofit Helping Hands Heal 
Families (HHHF) to help bridge that gap; and

Whereas, for the past decade, Gracie has been a tireless advocate for 
those in need, mobilizing community members and securing support from national 
sponsors such as Walmart, Good360, and Bath & Body Works. Through her 
leadership, HHHF has served all forty-six counties in South Carolina. Among its 
most meaningful efforts is a four-year partnership with Camp Cole's Camp 
Impact, which supports children in foster care and those experiencing 
homelessness, often providing life-changing first experiences for the children 
it serves; and

Whereas, Gracie expanded her organization's reach through the "Feel 
Clean, Learn Better" campaign, which discreetly provides hygiene supplies to 
students in Title I schools. This initiative helps reduce absenteeism, improves 
self-esteem, and restores dignity, reflecting her belief that no child should 
be expected to succeed academically without access to basic hygiene. In 
addition, she provides support to senior wards of the State, domestic violence 
shelters, food banks, and other charitable organizations; and

Whereas, Gracie further demonstrated her commitment to service during 
Russia's invasion of Ukraine by partnering with Wofford College to send care 
packages through the Global Empowerment Mission. Through this effort, she 
witnessed individuals from differing backgrounds unite in support of displaced 
families, reinforcing her belief in the power of service to transform adversity 
into hope; and

Whereas, in addition to her philanthropic work, Gracie has pursued 
personal challenges with determination, including a friendly yet competitive 
seven-year stair climber rivalry with her father, achieving a personal record 
of 500 flights. This experience led her to compete in the Empire State Building 
Stair Run-Up in support of the Challenged Athletes Foundation; and

Whereas, Gracie also competes in the Miss South Carolina Scholarship 
Organization, where she was named first runner-up for the Jada Samuel Quality 
of Life Scholarship in recognition of her community service. Having earned 
several local titles, including Miss Murrells Inlet, she will represent the 
Lowcountry this June, using her platform to raise awareness of hygiene 
insecurity and wrongful convictions; and

Whereas, the members of the South Carolina House of Representatives 
are grateful for Gracie Hicks's outstanding service through Helping Hands Heal 
Families and her many other community initiatives, and they look forward to 
following her continued impact in the years ahead. Now, therefore,

Be it resolved by the House of 
Representatives:

That the members of the South Carolina House 
of Representatives, by this resolution, recognize and honor Gracie Hicks, 
of Murrells Inlet, for her outstanding service, leadership, and impact to 
communities throughout the Palmetto State.

Be it further resolved that a copy of this resolution be presented to 
Gracie Hicks.

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This web page was last updated on May 05, 2026 at 02:29 PM