At an age when many teenagers are focused on grades, social calendars, and college applications, Zoe Biles is quietly building something far more enduring: a legacy of service rooted in compassion, dignity, and action.
A junior at Hilton Head Preparatory School, Zoe is the founder of Warm Hearts, Full Plates, a student-led initiative that recently delivered 121 Thanksgiving meals and 164 brand new winter coats to children and families served by the Neighborhood Outreach Connection (NOC) across all three of its Hilton Head Island learning centers.
What began as a modest service project has quickly grown into a community-wide effort – one that reflects not only Zoe’s organizational skills and leadership, but also her deep understanding that meaningful service is about more than giving: It’s about honoring the people receiving the service.
“I want people to act when they see a need,” Zoe said. “If you care about something, you should act and try to make a difference in your community.”
Zoe’s relationship with NOC began during her freshman year, when she set a personal goal of completing 150 community service hours. Through her teacher and mentor Bethany Ramseur, Zoe was introduced to NOC’s after-school tutoring and enrichment programs. She began volunteering twice a week, forming relationships with students, and quickly understanding the deeper challenges many families face.
“I got to know the kids and started tutoring more regularly,” Zoe said. “Once you know them, it becomes personal.”
That commitment was reinforced by the culture of service at Hilton Head Prep, where students are encouraged to engage meaningfully with the community through programs such as the Interact Club, the Business Club, and the Student Ambassador Club, which Zoe now leads as co-president. Her dedication ultimately earned her the Mayor’s Call to Service Award in 2024, after logging more than 170 hours of service, the highest tier of the honor.
Warm Hearts, Full Plates officially launched in 2024 on a small scale, serving 10 families and 19 students at NOC’s Cordillo Center location. While the effort was successful, it left Zoe with a lingering feeling.
“Only being able to help a few families was really difficult,” she said. “We knew that if we really put our minds to it, we could reach all three centers.”
In 2025, she did exactly that.
“Through her Warm Hearts, Full Plates Project, Zoe provided coats and Thanksgiving meals for every NOC child and family on Hilton Head,” said Julie Palma, executive director of Neighborhood Outreach Connection. “Her work reflects not only generosity, but a deep belief in caring for the community she calls home.”
For Palma and the NOC team, Zoe’s impact extends far beyond a single initiative.
“For three years, Zoe has mentored and tutored students at NOC Cordillo,” Palma said. “She inspires our children with her kindness, dedication, and the consistency of her presence. That lasting impact matters.”
Warm Hearts, Full Plates –
Individuals, local businesses, and corporate sponsors are invited to support future projects in Bluffton and Beaufort through donations, sponsorships, or volunteer involvement.
Email WarmHeartsFullPlatesProject@gmail.com for more information.
To learn more about the Neighborhood Outreach Connection, visit NOC-SC.org.
Dignity in the Details
What sets Warm Hearts, Full Plates apart is not just its scale, but its intentionality. Zoe was adamant that every coat be brand new, name brand, and gift wrapped, offering students choice, pride, and joy.
“She didn’t want kids just handed a coat,” said her mother, Nadine Biles. “She wanted them to feel celebrated.”
Coats from retailers such as Columbia, Eddie Bauer, and Land’s End filled rolling racks, sorted by size and color. Extra inventory ensured that even the last child to choose had options. Volunteers were trained not just to assist, but to connect – learning names, listening, and making the experience feel special.
“She cared deeply about the details,” Nadine said. “The colors, the brands, the wrapping – everything mattered to her because dignity mattered.”
The meal distributions were equally thoughtful. Each family received a holiday package including a gift card for a turkey or ham and perishable items, pantry staples, and side dishes, allowing families autonomy in completing their meals.
Zoe strategically leveraged Publix buy-one-get-one deals, tracked weekly specials, and coordinated bulk purchases. The effort was funded through a combination of community donations and five corporate sponsors, raising more than $13,000 to support the initiative.
Key support came from Verity Investment Partners and their employees, the Wedgeworth Team, KS McRorie Interior Design, Coastal Home & Villa, and Coastal Oceanside Properties, whose generosity helped underwrite the cost of both meals and winter coats.
“In addition to our sponsors, we had so many family members and friends, both local and non-local, step up to support the project,” Zoe said. “It really showed me how much people care when they understand the need.”
Her father, Jim Biles, credits Zoe’s vision and follow-through.
“The ideas come from her,” he said. “She has this ability to see something through – from concept to completion – and that sense of ownership is what makes her exceptional.”
A junior at Hilton Head Preparatory School, Zoe is the founder of Warm Hearts, Full Plates, a student-led initiative that recently delivered 121 Thanksgiving meals and 164 brand new winter coats to children and families served by the Neighborhood Outreach Connection (NOC) across all three of its Hilton Head Island learning centers.
A Mission Aligned with NOC
Founded to support underserved children and families through education, enrichment, and essential resources, Neighborhood Outreach Connection is dedicated to advancing human dignity, social justice, and opportunity throughout the Lowcountry. Warm Hearts, Full Plates fits squarely within that mission.
“Zoe truly embodies the values we strive to instill: Respect for others, compassion, and a commitment to human rights and social justice,” said Dr. Narendra Sharma, founder and chairman of the board of NOC. “Her actions show that caring for the well-being of others is not an abstract idea, but something lived out through dedication and hard work.”
Earlier this year, Zoe was honored with NOC’s Distinguished Community Service Award, presented annually to individuals or groups who demonstrate exceptional commitment to serving underserved children, families, and the broader community.
“She is an inspiring young leader,” Sharma added. “A positive role model for our students who leads with compassion and a genuine desire to help others. Her passion for making a difference inspires everyone around her.”
Presented in December 2025, the Distinguished Community Service Award marked a historic moment for NOC. Zoe became the youngest – and first individual – recipient of an honor traditionally awarded to organizations.
“It was a big surprise,” Zoe said. “I’m just really grateful for the organization and all their support.”
For NOC leadership, the decision was clear.
“Zoe truly cares about the well-being of others,” Palma said. “Her commitment goes beyond service hours. It’s about relationships, responsibility, and heart.”
Zoe’s passion for giving back was nurtured early. Growing up, her parents consistently modeled service, from food-packing programs and holiday meal deliveries to gift drives and classroom supply donations.
“From a young age, she understood that not everyone has what she has, and that even small contributions can be meaningful,” Nadine said.
Birthdays often became opportunities to collect books or gifts for others, and family holidays were regularly centered around service. Those experiences laid the groundwork for Zoe’s leadership today.
Looking Ahead
Zoe plans to expand Warm Hearts, Full Plates this year, with hopes of eventually reaching NOC families in Bluffton and Beaufort, which will add approximately 120 more coats and 80 more meals, bringing the total contribution of the initiative to about 300 coats and 200 families. She is also considering a future in nonprofit management, blending her academic interests with her passion for service.
For now, her message to peers is simple and powerful: “Don’t wait,” she said. “If you see a need and you care, act.”
In a world that often underestimates young people, Zoe Biles stands as a reminder that leadership is not defined by age, but by heart, vision, and the courage to serve.
