Charleston Hope

Charleston Hope, a grassroots, nonprofit organization is dedicated to improving education in Charleston’s highest needs schools through relationships, resources, and opportunities. We are dedicated to enhancing individual’s quality of education and life through programs that inspire students, support teachers, and empower schools and communities.

 

We hold the unshakeable conviction that every life matters. We believe that focusing on the individual needs of people, especially students, has the power to improve their educational, social, and emotional needs. Using Eric Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs as a conceptual framework, we are first committed to improving student’s quality of education and life by meeting their basic needs.

 

In Charleston County School District, one in four students live in poverty. The American Community Survey states that 42% of Charleston County children are living in concentrated areas of poverty directly surrounding these schools. In communities where poverty has become a way of life, 95% or more of students in our partnered schools receive free and reduced lunch- indicating that they live at or below the federal poverty line.

 

Students living in poverty are less likely to engage in enriching opportunities outside of school, less likely to have extra support outside of the classroom, and are less likely to come to school having all of their basic needs met. Because of these shortfalls, low-income students repeat grades at a rate of 28.8 percent compared to 14.1 percent of higher income families; 11.9 percent of low-income students are expelled or suspended from school, compared to 6.1 percent of higher income students (American Psychological Association).

 

Funding for low-income students education varies state to state, in our county, all of our partnered schools spend less than $11,000 a year per student. Due to Charleston Counties 13.3-million-dollar teacher and literacy interventionist budget cut this year, teachers are expected to do more with less. Classroom sizes have expanded, extra help in the classroom has decreased, and resources have been cut. With the astounding number of children in Charleston county living in poverty backed with negative stigmas and statistic, our Lowcountry students are in need of relationships, resources, and opportunities from the Charleston community to help them succeed academically, socially, and emotionally.

 

Centering our programs on the basis that relationships have the power to change lives, our programs at the following five schools are tailored to individual school, teacher, and student needs: Burns Elementary, Sanders-Clyde Elementary, Cainhoy Elementary, Mitchell Elementary, Charleston Progressive Elementary, Mary Ford Elementary, and St. James Santee. Our programs include:

 

• Adopt a Classroom: Our oldest program of 5 years takes place during the Holiday season. This program reaches over 2,500 students across the Lowcountry annually totaling over 10,000 students reached in the past 5 years. We provide them with a wrapped Christmas gift, a hot meal, and quality time with community members. Along with this, we put on an annual Wrapping Party that hosts over 250 volunteers to wrap these gifts and build community amongst each other. We have also expanded this effort to three other cities, two in South Carolina and one in Ohio, totaling over 3,500 students reached. We will also be adding on a service opportunity for our students to not only receive but to also give. Students will host a basic needs drive, pack toiletry bags, write a note of encouragement and choose where their kindness get delivered.
• Heart for the City: Our newest initiative seeks to improve school conditions and climate to increase student and teacher motivation, academics, and to overall improve individual’s quality of life and educational experience. Due to recent budget cuts, administration is limited on what they can provide and maintain for their school. This is where we believe our younger generation across the Lowcountry can step up to serve and support our local Title 1 education in a day of service. Students will rally together to paint hallways, paint murals designed by students, clean closets, and complete tasks teachers and administration could not get to otherwise. We host an average of 100 volunteers per event and save our schools over $1,500 in school improvement costs.
• Teacher’s Hope Closet/Mentoring: This program is centered around teacher support in and out of the classroom. Every Friday, volunteers can serve our teachers by completing tedious classroom tasks that would otherwise take away from their home life. This year, we have also added on weekly and bi-weekly support partnerships for teachers. Volunteers commit for an 8 week minimum, with the same teacher, to help tutor and mentor students academically, socially, and emotionally. We have also given away over $4,000 worth of classroom supplies and resources.
• Basic Needs Room: One of the top reasons for absenteeism in schools is the lack of basic necessities. Students who are frequently absent are less likely to graduate high school than those that aren’t. We are out to change that starting with the basics. Our Basic Needs Room is stocked with over 3,500 basic necessities every semester for students and teachers to be used at their discretion. Our first room is at Sanders-Clyde Elementary.
• Monthly Community Engagements: Every month, we host an engagement opportunity for parents, students, and teachers to connect with community members and to boost PTA involvement. We host school wide cookouts, movie nights, dance parties, and talent shows. To date, we have served over 2,700 students and families.