This week’s Blackbaud Nonprofit of the Match is East Cooper Community Outreach. Founded as an emergency relief effort in 1989 after the devastation from Hurricane Hugo, East Cooper Community Outreach (ECCO) has since grown into a permanent resource for the community in need with three main program areas: Basic Needs, Health Services and Empowerment.
Thousands of families a year receive emergency assistance for food, clothing, household furnishings, financial aid, and have access to dental care, medical care, prescription assistance, counseling, and educational opportunities like financial literacy classes, computer skills training, job readiness workshops. These services are all enhanced through personal interaction with staff who provide individualized support for each client, ongoing case management, and emphasize accountability and achievement.
ECCO’s mission is to provide safety net services to our low income neighbors, while empowering them to create a better future for themselves, their families, and our communities.
ECCO serves households in financial distress – our programs reach the elderly, disabled, unemployed or underemployed, veterans, families in generation poverty, and those experiencing situational poverty. The majority of clients live east of the Cooper River in Charleston/lower-Berkeley County or are currently employed in the East Cooper region. Income qualifications for households are set at or below 200% of the Federal Poverty level. Eligibility varies by program and some services are available to all Tri-County residents and beyond.
To donate, please visit eccocharleston.org/giving-back/. Every dollar donated helps to improve the lives of our neighbors in need.
