Bridges of Hope in North Charleston, South Carolina, is a community organization that provides grief support through a safe environment to empower children, teens, and families grieving a death through its innovative and multi-faceted Stepping Stones Grief Support Program. The program is provided to children and youth ages 7-17, free of charge, with the organization targeting children living in poverty and/or attending Title I schools to ensure that the most underserved within the community have access to critical grief support services. Children are referred to the program through school counselors, mental health professionals, social workers, funeral homes, and hospices.   

The CCME Foundation provided a $7,500 grant for the organization to expand their program to serve 450 children and 150 caregivers during the academic school year in Charleston, Dorchester, and Berkeley counties. Children and families are invited to participate in as many activities as possible throughout the year through Shannon’s Hope Camp – the third oldest bereavement camp for youth in the country, Sand Dollar School Club – weekly support groups during the school year, community rituals, family workshops, and community education events. The program is comprised of a curriculum that uses art, music, writing, movement, and mindfulness to invite each child to explore and express their unique experiences of grief. The program also assists parents and caregivers in providing ongoing grief support to their children.  

According to the Executive Director, Jonathan Wright, Bridges of Hope had a strong year and has been continuing to grow and expand its direct services and impact within the community. The organization is focused on building its capacity and scaling the program. Shannon’s Hope Camp has grown to two camp sessions per year, with maximum attendance, and the school-based Sand Dollar Club has served as the organization’s primary growth engine in reaching grieving children. The program is involved in more than 40 schools, and they are planning to expand into Dorchester County schools, with the hope to expand up to 20% per year.  

Learn more about the work of Bridges of Hope and its impact on children, youth, and their families in the Lowcountry.