Charleston Charities / Non-Profit Organizations – Community Pride

Charleston has a rich tradition of community service, volunteerism and charity. Throughout the area, you can see these partnerships everywhere on billboards, businesses, sporting teams and media. It is such a wonder to see this commitment throughout the Lowcountry. Thank you for all that give generously of their time and money. If you want to learn more about ways you can help, here is a full list of charities and non-profits in Charleston County.

A

• ALS Association South Carolina Chapter – helping people and their families live with ALS while researching for a cure
• American Red Cross – Carolina Lowcountry Chapter – disaster assistance
• Association for the Blind – supporting children and adults living with blindness and visual impairment

B

• Be a Mentor – North Charleston – connects kids with adult mentors
• Big Brothers Big Sisters of Carolina Youth Development Center – mentoring program that matches adult volunteers and children ages 6-16
• Bridge of Hope – offers afterschool programs for children and GED programs for adults

C

• Camp Happy Days – hosts a summer camp for children battling cancer
• Carolina Children’s Charity – financial assistance for children with birth defects or diseases
• Carolina Studios – after-school program where children learn to create and record music using digital media
• Carolina Youth Development Center – healing services for children who have experienced physical or sexual abuse, neglect, abandonment, or have severe emotional disorders
• Center for Women – seminars, support services, and professional development for women
• Charleston Area Children’s Garden Project – community-based outdoor learning experience
• Charleston County Human Services Commission – provides housing, emergency services, education, employment, and child care for low-income families
• Charleston County Volunteer Fire & Rescue Squad – offers support to local fire and police agencies when needed with resources and/or manpower
• Charleston Friends of the Library – advocates for enhancing the Charleston County Public Library System
• Charleston Habitat for Humanity – builds affordable housing
• Charleston Junior Woman’s Club – dedicated to community improvement through volunteerism
• Charleston Miracle League – baseball teams for children with physical and mental challenges
• Charleston Moves – works for a safe, bicycle and walk friendly region
• Charleston Peace – social and environmental activism group
• Charleston Port and Seafarers’ Society – assisting international crews while they are in port
• Chase After a Cure – a 501c3 Non Profit Corporation dedicated to children’s cancer research. We raise awareness for children’s cancer and provide funding for research labs who specialize in children’s cancer research. We provide funding specifically for the only childhood cancer research lab in the state of SC.
• Children’s Museum of the Lowcountry – engaging young children’s potential by inviting families of all to explore environments and experiences that spark imagination and curiosity.  Volunteer opportunities such as special events, outreach events throughout the community, art room volunteer, preparing for projects and programs, executing art activities, reading books to children, tending the garden, maintaining exhibits and admin tasks
• Coastal Carolina Council, Boy Scouts of America
• Coastal Community Foundation – issues public grants
• Coastal Crisis Chaplaincy – pastoral care, counseling for employees and families of law enforcement and emergency service agencies
• Communities In Schools of the Charleston Area – dropout prevention program
• Corpus Callosum – sparks learning through experiences in the arts and sciences
• Courageous Kidz – encouraging children that are battling cancer
• Crime Stoppers of the Lowcountry – works to involve the public to fight to identify, prevent, solve, and reduce crime

D

• Darkness to Light – fights child sexual abuse
• Dee Norton Lowcountry Children’s Center – provides services for child abuse victims and their families

E

• East Cooper Community Outreach – Mount Pleasant – provides emergency assistance and social services for low income neighbors
• East Cooper Habitat for Humanity – builds affordable housing
• East Cooper Meals on Wheels – Mount Pleasant – delivers daily nutrition to residents who are unable to provide their own meals
• EMPOWERR Program – provides HIV/AIDS and substance abuse prevention programs for teens

F

• Family Services, Inc. – North Charleston – services include credit counseling, debt management, homebuyer education, family violence intervention, and bankruptcy counseling
• Fields to Families – Mount Pleasant – distributing fresh produce to area hunger prevention organizations
• For the Exceptional – making a difference in the lives of those with disabilities
• Friends of MUSC Children’s Hospital – raises funds for and enhance community awareness of the exceptional care delivered at MUSC Children’s Hospital

G

• Girl Scouts of Eastern South Carolina – provides girls 5-17 programs that build responsibility, leadership, and decision-making skills
• Goodwill Industries of Lower South Carolina – provides job training and help finding employment

H

• HALOS, Helping And Lending Outreach Support – helps abused and neglected victims served by the Charleston County Department of Social Services
• Helping the Underprivileged Grow – hosts fundraisers with proceeds going to local charities
• The Homeownership Resource Center – provides homeownership and financial literacy education
• Humanities Foundation – provides affordable housing

I

• Increasing HOPE – North Charleston – financial education
• ITNCharlestonTrident – North Charleston – provides transportation for seniors

J

• Junior Achievement of Coastal South Carolina – K12 economic success programs
• Junior Girls Day Out Community Project – self-esteem, literacy and healthy living programs for girls ages 6-12
• Junior League of Charleston – all female fundraising and volunteer organization

K

• KARS Institute – Mt Pleasant – provides training, resources, and opportunities for collaboration for nonprofits, organizations, and individuals

L

• Ladies Enriching the Community – enhances the community through education, economic development,and cultural empowerment
• Liberty Hill Improvement Council – North Charleston – increases literacy of students reading below their grade level in the Liberty Hill Community
• LifeManagement Center – assists individuals and families with learning disabilities and ADHD
• Lincolnville Volunteer Rescue Squad – provides basic life support emergency care for life threatening injuries or illnesses prior to the arrival of EMS
• Louie’s Kids – fights childhood obesity
• Low Country Orphan Relief – meets the needs of abandoned, abused, and neglected children and intervenes where government aid ends
• Lowcountry AIDS Services – HIV/AIDS prevention, counseling, and help finding treatment
• Lowcountry Autism Consortium – helps families, friends, and professionals who support individuals on the autism spectrum
• Lowcountry Crisis Pregnancy Center – North Charleston – provides medical services, referrals, and assistance with unplanned pregnancies
• Lowcountry Equine-Assisted Psychotherapy – horse assisted therapy for at-risk children
• Lowcountry Food Bank – feeds the poor and hungry by soliciting and distributing healthy food and groceries plus educates the public about the problems of and solutions to hunger
• LUVnLUGZ – provides rides for low-income families to visit their incarcerated loved ones

M

• MUSC Children’s Hospital Volunteer Services – variety of volunteer opportunities available to adults and students over the age of 16
• My Sister’s House – assists victims of domestic violence and their children

N

• Neighbor To Family – North Charleston – places abused and neglected children with their siblings in safe and stable foster homes

O

• One-Eighty Place – homeless shelter
• Operation Home – North Charleston – making critical home repairs for low-income residents
• Our Lady of Mercy Community Outreach Services – Johns Island – provides educational, health, and direct outreach services to people in need

P

• Palmetto Palace – helps with lodging, transportation, and meals for those in need with a family member in a hospital
• Pattison’s Academy – Mt. Pleasant – serves children with severe or multiple handicaps
• People Against Rape – Charleston – assists adult victims of sexual assault in the tri-county area
• Project Healing Waters – Charleston – dedicated to the physical and emotional rehabilitation of disabled active military service personnel and disabled veterans through fly fishing and associated activities including education and outings.

R

• Rein & Shine – Awendaw – uses horses to heal children and adults with physical, mental, and emotional limitations
• Ronald McDonald House Charities of Charleston – provides a comfortable “home away from home” where families can stay while their child is hospitalized
• Rotary Club of Charleston – participates in local and global service projects
• Rural Mission – Johns Island – assists sea-island families, including migrant workers, with health care, crisis intervention, and educational programs

S

• Safe Moves – family violence resource center
• Saluting Sacrifices – James Island – recognizes the sacrifices our service members’ spouses and loved ones
• The Salvation Army of Charleston – provides social service programs for those living in poverty
• Sertoma Club of Charleston – helps less fortunate individuals
• South Carolina Blue Ribbon Council – raises awareness of child abuse and neglect
• South Carolina Volunteer Guardian ad Litem Program – Charleston County – voices for children in foster care

T

• Teacher’s Supply Closet – gives teachers in six Title 1 schools supplies for their classrooms and students
• Tricounty Blue Star Mothers – Goose Creek – supports America’s active troops and veterans
• Tricounty Family Ministries – North Charleston – provides vital services to the less fortunate in the Tricounty area
• Trident Literacy Association – North Charleston – increases literacy with instruction in reading, writing, mathematics, English as a Second Language, GED preparation, and basic computer use
• Trident United Way – programs to address education, financial stability, and health needs in the community

U

• US Vet Corps Resources – helps Veterans, first responders, and their families in their transition from active service to civilian life

V

• Veterans on Deck – aids Veterans that struggle returning to a civilian society

W

• Water Missions International – works to bring water and sanitation to developing countries
• West Ashley Optimist Club – develops optimism as a philosophy of life
• Windwood Family Services – Awendaw – therapeutic intervention for abused and neglected boys
• WINGS for Kids – social and emotional learning after school
• Without Walls Ministry – alliance of local churches, organizations, businesses reaching out to people in need

Y

• YMCA of Greater Charleston – personal development through healthy living programs
• Yo Art Project – mentors teach inner-city youth computer and art skills
• Y20 – Folly Beach – getting youth on the water
• YWCA of Greater Charleston – empowering women through programs for women and children

*Note:  Information provided courtesy of sciway.net (South Carolina Information Highway)