Who We Are

Charleston Hope was born from a heartfelt conversation back in 2011 between our executive director, Emily Kerr, and her sister. Emily's sister, who taught at a school in downtown Charleston struggling with poverty, realized that her students' needs far exceeded the support they were receiving. It was during the holiday season when Emily discovered that most of the pre-kindergarten students in her sister's class wouldn't have the joy of receiving holiday gifts at home due to financial struggles.

As a senior in high school in Charleston, SC, Emily took it upon herself to rally friends and family to make a difference. Together, they provided 40 students with brand-new, wrapped toys, starting what became known as the Adopt a Classroom initiative.

With the support and enthusiasm of others, Emily expanded this initiative in 2012 at The College of Charleston, growing from helping 40 students to an astonishing 900. Over the following years, Emily and her team listened carefully to teachers and administrators, understanding their needs and creating initiatives that directly supported teacher empowerment, student wellness and academic support.

In 2016, after graduating from the College of Charleston with a degree in early childhood education, Emily took on the full-time role of executive director. Her primary focus became supporting Mitchell Elementary, one of the five poorest schools in Charleston County.

Since then, Charleston Hope has embarked on an incredible journey of growth, and we couldn't be prouder of how far we've come. Since 2011, our organization has evolved in response to the profound needs we encountered, and in April of 2023, we launched a new mission and vision that shifted our focus from providing broad support to teachers and students to prioritizing targeted mental and behavioral health assistance.