Connie Maxwell Children’s Ministries has announced a $2.6 million gift and the naming of a 25,000-square-foot facility to provide services to children and families. The McCall Center is named for the late P.L. “Roy” McCall, whose generosity helped make the center a reality.

Connie Maxwell leadership, donors, alumni, and friends of the McCall family joined in a celebration ceremony Feb. 29. Danny Nicholson, president of Connie Maxwell Children’s Ministries, announced the gift as the “mantlepiece” of the organization’s “Decade of Dreams” strategic plan, which is designed to fulfill its vision to be “a national leader for ministry and healing for vulnerable children and families.”

“This significant gift names, gives meaning, and brings honor and legacy to the healing of children and families for generations to come,” Nicholson said. “The McCall Center will define our future dreams through restoration, resilience and flourishing.”

The McCall Center will include an auditorium for large-scale events, meeting rooms and a research library. The center will also include a board room, workstations and offices, and accommodations for children receiving therapy and interventions.

According to Nicholson, the center will allow Connie Maxwell to integrate innovative, trauma-informed care into its existing programs and create a space for experts in the fields of trauma and childcare to share their knowledge with staff and the community.

The McCall family was an “ever-present, strong and enduring influence, and has a lasting legacy in the South Carolina Baptist history,” Nicholson said. “The fingerprints of the McCall family will forever rest upon the hearts and lives of children and families at the McCall Center.”

Nicholson spoke of visiting McCall several times upon his arrival to Connie Maxwell in 2017. He said McCall was excited about the organization’s vision for a “deeper ministry” for children and families and singled out numerous occasions in which McCall voiced his support for its mission.

McCall, who died in 2022, was an active participant in numerous local, county and state agricultural organizations, and a supporter of both Clemson University and Coker College through various endowments, gifts and scholarships. He was a lifelong member of West Hartsville Baptist Church, serving as a deacon, intermediate department superintendent and choir member.

The Connie Maxwell Decade of Dreams Strategic Plan includes the creation of the McCall Center, and the expansion and reimagining of Maxwell Farms, which offers respite for children and families via numerous outdoor activities.The plan also includes the creation of a Connie Maxwell campus in the Charleston area.

— Sheila Price is vice president for Marketing and Communications at Connie Maxwell Children’s Ministries.