Charitable Profile

Association for the Blind & Visually Impaired (ABVI)

Founded in 1936, the Association for the Blind & Visually Impaired South Carolina’s (ABVI) mission is to enrich the quality of life of the blind and visually impaired. Our vision rehabilitation program, Own Your Life, was designed to help individuals participate fully in their communities. Our services help individuals achieve their personal and professional goals so they can live, learn and earn with vision loss. Our classes are available for the 15,000-20,000 Tri-County adults living with a visual impairment. For more information, call Anne Reid | email:areid@abvisc.org | phone: 843.212.3040 or visit http://www.abvisc.org.

Charleston Youth Development Center

Founded in 1790 as the Charleston Orphan House, the Carolina Youth Development Center’s mission is to empower and equip our community’s most vulnerable children by providing a safe environment, educational support, and career readiness, in collaboration with families and community partners, serving more than 1,200 children and families each year. In addition to CYDC’s cottages for children in foster care who are victims of abuse and neglect, outreach programs include parenting classes, Family Strengthening, summer literacy programs, and the Bakker Career Center which prepares youth for success in adulthood through job readiness and life skill building.
For more information, contact: Katy Calloway | email: katy.calloway@cydc.org | phone: 843-266-5216

Catholic Charities

Catholic Charities of South Carolina is the social outreach arm of the Catholic Church.  We were founded in 1945 by the Catholic Diocese of Charleston and have since grown to encompass the entire state of South Carolina.  Our Coastal Regional Office covers Charleston, Berkeley, and Dorchester counties by providing disaster services, wellness services, pregnancy and family services, and homeless and outreach services.  So far this year we have provided 66,019 meals through our food pantry, 200 seniors with dentures, 110 children with backpacks and supplies for school, and repaired/rebuilt 60 homes impacted by disasters in our region. Catholic Charities also provides Thanksgiving dinners, food gift cards, toys, and other emergency assistance during the holiday season. For more information, please contact Rocio Maldonaldo at 843-531-5570.

The Charleston Leadership Foundation

The Charleston Leadership Foundation (CLF) was founded in 2002 to bring together local Christians to minister to the community and change lives.
Now, through the Good Cheer Fund, CLF will be answering prayers for physical needs in our community as well.
In addition to the partnership with the Good Cheer Fund during the holiday season, the CLF sponsors the annual Charleston Leadership Prayer Breakfast each fall offering a morning of prayer, music, and worship. Answering prayers by answering needs. For more information. Contact: Kathryn Krogh | email: krogh@clf1670.org | phone: (843) 471-0101 or visit: www.clf1670.org.

Lowcountry Food Bank

The Lowcountry Food Bank’s mission is to feed the poor and hungry of the 10 coastal counties of South Carolina by soliciting and distributing healthy food and grocery products to nonprofit agencies serving the poor, and to educate the public about the problems of and solutions to domestic hunger. Nearly 20% of the Lowcountry Food Bank’s clients are seniors. For more information, contact: Kelly Kelley | email: kkelley@lcfbank.org | phone: (843) 747-8146 x154 or visit: www.lowcountryfoodbank.org.

Salvation Army

The Salvation Army is part of a worldwide movement that tailors its programs to the needs of the areas it serves. The Charleston branch helps a wide range of clients through services such as emergency food assistance, clothing vouchers, utility and rental assistance and prescription medicines. The Salvation Army provides Christmas gift assistance to families in need during the Christmas season. For more information for Charleston County and Lower Berkeley County, contact: Suzette Dunlap | Email: Suzette.Dunlap@uss.salvationarmy.org | phone: (843) 747-5271 ext 65901. For more information for Dorchester County and Upper Berkeley County, contact:  Ashanti Cromedy | Email: Ashanti.cromedy@uss.salvationarmy.org | phone:  843-747-5271 ext 65930

Star Gospel Mission

For 115 years the Star Gospel Mission has been ministering to the poor, the needy and homeless men throughout the Low country.  The Mission provides transitional housing for up to 28 men who are seeking to make significant changes in their lives and experience a transformation that will place on the right path in life and provide them with a much brighter future.  The Mission also offers seasonal assistance to Tri-county residents with emergency rent payments, utility bills, medical expenses, dental and eye wear assistance, emergency transportation needs and food gift cards, all through the generosity of the Good Cheer Fund. For more information, contact Rev. William Christian at 843-722-2473.