About Us

Meet Us. Join Us. Support Us.

Founded as an emergency relief effort in 1989 after Hurricane Hugo’s devastation, East Cooper Community Outreach (ECCO) has since grown into a permanent resource for the community with three main service areas:

Assistance

Essential services ECCO provides to local neighbors facing financial hardship.

Guidance

The direction and system of support ECCO provides as we walk with clients along their path to opportunity.

Resources

Connecting our clients to a network of community partners who can help on their journey towards achieving personal goals.

Our mission

We provide assistance, guidance, and resources to help our neighbors navigate through life’s challenges.

Our vision

A community where all people can discover a path to opportunity— regardless of background, economic status, race, or beliefs.


Each year, thanks to the generous donations, thousands of individuals receive assistance for essential everyday needs, as well as access to important community resources. All programs and services are designed to help clients find a path toward opportunity. ECCO’s ministry of “Neighbors Helping Neighbors” attempts to improve our community’s quality of life in a compassionate way that respects every person’s dignity and worth.

Who we serve

ECCO serves men and women experiencing a wide array of challenges including financial distress. Our programs reach senior citizens, the disabled, unemployed or underemployed, veterans, families living in generational poverty, and those experiencing situational poverty. We support those battling serious health conditions, fleeing domestic violence, or experiencing homelessness. All ECCO services are available to those who live or work East of the Cooper River in the 10 zip codes noted below, who are qualified by their income level. Income qualifications are based on 250% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines. There are several programs including medical services, prescription assistance, dental services, and the Asset Development Program that are available to Tri-county (Charleston, Berkeley, and Dorchester) residents.

Areas we serve

  • 29464
  • 29466
  • 29429
  • 29458
  • 29451
  • 29464
  • 29466
  • 29429
  • 29458
  • 29451
  • 29482
  • 29492
  • 29450
  • 29434
  • 29453
  • 29482
  • 29492
  • 29450
  • 29434
  • 29453

What we do at ECCO

At ECCO, we take pride in knowing we provide help and hope. Through our community-based service model, we help individuals and families facing a wide array of life challenges. We believe hope is a source of energy that helps keep people moving forward and embracing opportunities.

Our values

Our core values drive our vision, our mission and how we serve the community.

Compassion

It takes courage for our clients to walk through the doors of ECCO and admit they need help and assistance. We embrace the belief that we must treat others as we would like to be treated.

Collaboration

We are committed to an environment that encourages sharing knowledge, being open to new ideas and thoughts, and understanding how we can best support each other in making choices that put our client’s needs before our own.

Respect

We believe in treating every person we interact with the utmost dignity, respect and grace. When engaging with others, we actively listen without judgment. The abilities, beliefs, and cultures of staff and neighbors in our community are valued and celebrated.

Integrity

When faced with difficult decisions and hard choices, we do the right thing, even in the face of adversity. Carrying out each action with honesty fosters trustworthiness amongst each other, with our clients, and in our interactions with others. In order to be honest with others, we must be totally honest with ourselves by consistently doing what is moral, just, and equitable in every situation, keeping in mind our Christian ideals and traditions upon which ECCO was founded.

How Donations are Used to Serve the Community

Transparency is a key component to nonprofit organizations that follow best practices. ECCO provides the following information to individuals who are interested in knowing where we invest our resources and the impact we make by being good stewards of our donations and grant funding.

According to our most recent audit, we’re proud to announce that 90% of every single dollar goes directly to programs and the neighbors we serve!

2022-2023 990 2022-2023 Audited Financials

 

“Very helpful and friendly. A great service to the community and those less fortunate”

– William S.

“Love ECCO! We always think first of them when we have items to donate. A great, friendly place that is there for the community.”

– John J.