Building Business w/ the Mount Pleasant Chamber of Commerce
The Building Business podcast provides compelling stories of the Mount Pleasant Chamber of Commerce's journey, its steadfast commitment to the local community, and its forward-thinking approach to addressing the needs of businesses in an ever-changing landscape. It stands as an invitation to listeners to become part of a movement that values growth, connection, and the collective progress of the Mount Pleasant, South Carolina community.
Be prepared to be inspired, informed, and motivated, as we provide a rich tapestry of stories that celebrate the dynamic interplay of business and personal growth right here, in our own backyard.
Building Business w/ the Mount Pleasant Chamber of Commerce
Weaving Hope and Dignity: The Impact of East Cooper Community Outreach with Stephanie Kelley
When Stephanie Kelley, the heart and soul behind East Cooper Community Outreach (ECCO), stepped up to share her story, we knew we were in for an unforgettable conversation. From her evolution from donor to Executive Director, Stephanie unveils the intricate tapestry of support and service that ECHO weaves throughout our community, touching lives in ways only the most profound acts of kindness can.
Our discussion traverses the surprising realities of affluence and need in Mount Pleasant, uncovering the often invisible challenges that lurk beneath the surface of any community. ECCO, with its rich 34-year history, stands as a beacon of hope, expanding its legacy from hurricane relief to include life-changing medical and dental care. These stories of transformation are not just tales to be told; they're invitations to become part of a movement that uplifts and heals.
As we wrap up, the spotlight falls on the lifeblood of ECCO's mission: the community's unwavering support. We celebrate the ingenuity of fundraising efforts like pickleball tournaments and Do Good Gatherings, and we delve into the heartwarming generosity that fuels partnerships and drives initiatives. Every can of beef stew, every pair of gently-used shoes, every hour volunteered—these are the threads that weave the fabric of support for our neighbors, fostering wellness, dignity, and hope for a brighter tomorrow.
Presenting Sponsor: Mount Pleasant Chamber of Commerce
Studio Sponsor: Charleston Radio Group
Production Sponsor: rūmbo advertising
Committee:
Kathleen Herrmann | Host | MPCC President
Michael Cochran | Co-host | Foundation Chair
John Carroll | Co-host | Member at Large
Mike Compton | Co-host | Marketing Chair
Rebecca Imholz | Co-host | MPCC Director
Amanda Bunting Comen | Co-host | Social ABCs
Scott Labarowski | Co-host | Membership Chair
Jennifer Maxwell | Co-host | Immediate Past President
Darius Kelly | Creative Director | DK Design
Well, hello and welcome to the Building Business Podcast powered by the Mount Pleasant Chamber of Commerce. We're recording in the Charleston Radio Group studio. Thank you, brian, for being here with us. There's such great supporters of the Mount Pleasant Chamber of Commerce. And thank you, of course, to all of our supporters helping us out. Kathy Herman here. I am the current president of the Mount Pleasant Chamber of Commerce and I am also the marketing director for Mount Pleasant Town Center. So thank you for joining us, and I am here with my co-host, mike Cochran. He is currently the Mount Pleasant Chamber of Commerce Foundation Chair for this year. So welcome, michael. Thank you, and we have our guest of honor today. I'm so excited that we are here with the Executive Director of the East Cooper Community Outreach, stephanie Kelly. Stephanie, welcome.
Speaker 2:Thank you very much. It's an honor to be here.
Speaker 1:So before we start talking about ECHO, I do do have to say I moved to Mount Pleasant about eight years ago, and Stephanie Kelly in a different role we won't talk about that, but a different role was one of the first people I met in Mount Pleasant or in the Charleston area, that's right. First business meeting that I had in this town was with this lady right here, Stephanie Kelly.
Speaker 2:And there you are. Now you're the president of the chamber. I'm so lucky, I'm so lucky.
Speaker 1:Yes, but what a? You know, the minute I met Stephanie, I knew that she was someone that I was going to be doing business with for a very long time and, of course, when you came into this position, I was thrilled, not only for you, but, of course, for everybody that I know that you're going to help. So tell us a little bit about yourself how you got involved with Echo, how long you've been there, sure?
Speaker 2:So thank you so much. So next month will actually be my seven month or seven year anniversary, as the executive director Just feels like seven months and actually. But I've been involved with ECHO probably for about the last 15 years. My husband and I started as donors. We wanted to help a local nonprofit and so when we realized we were in a position to start giving back, we chose ECHO because we wanted to help some community organization that really helped with the causes that ECHO does, and then got invited to take a tour. I want to thank you letter it said, come in for a tour and I thought, well, why not?
Speaker 2:So when I left my career in higher education, was living here full time. I took a tour and thought I've got to get more involved. So I actually volunteered with the organization, helped to run fundraisers, ran the golf tournament for three years. Then I was invited to join the board and then, when this position opened up, I threw my hat in the ring. So I always love to joke about the fact that I get to go to work at a place that I used to work for free. But that's just because I'm so passionate about what Echo does.
Speaker 1:Well, you said something about the tour. I remember when the Chamber had their Before 9 at Echo. I know they've done it a couple times, but I remember when I was there and it was the first time I got behind the scenes tour and do you remember all I kept saying was wow, wow, this place. I had no idea what went on there, and so it's very enlightening and thank you for that.
Speaker 2:We, twice a month, do an open tour where people can sign up to come in and be able to go through the building. Because, you're right, I too took the tour. I had heard the mission statement, I knew the things we did, but there's something, when you actually walk through that dental clinic and medical clinic and the food pantry and talk to the staff about the mission and vision, that does really open your eyes to the needs in the community and also how much can happen in such a little place. So we've got a little place on Six Mile Road, but big things happen out of that facility.
Speaker 1:I agree 100%, Mike. Were you on that tour with me, I think?
Speaker 3:So yes, I was. It's interesting because with Echo I started with a tour and then started with the Before 9, went to that. Then the company that I work with, south Carolina Farm Bureau Insurance, we did a donation during COVID and then was able to jump through with the chamber to be a volunteer Right. So I've been there multiple times, but it started with a tour, just like you, and you hit on a lot of great things just a second ago about the services that you offer. That we'll dive into. But the thing that impressed me the most was how clean and organized and well-run it was on the back end, thank you, and we'll discuss what's on the front, but the back end. I was like, if it's this good back here, you know, just in the day-to-day operations and sweeping the floor type of thing it's got to be well run all throughout. It was very, very impressive, thank you.
Speaker 2:And there's a lot of intentionality about even our facility. Probably about 10 years ago we had a board member who felt that the lobby could be more welcoming and so she paid to redo the floors and buy new furniture. But the thought of it's hard enough to walk through the door and ask for help. We want people to feel comfortable. And then, you're right, the environment that the staff and volunteers work in. We want it to be efficient and clean, and we do hope it sends a message to the community that we are good stewards of the donations that people give to us, that we're trying to treat the facility, the people, well, and, again, that being good stewards is really important.
Speaker 1:Well, I'm sure everyone listening knows of ECHO, but why don't we take a minute to explain to them what the primary mission of ECHO is?
Speaker 2:Sure. So our mission statement is that we provide assistance, guidance and resources to help our neighbors navigate life's challenges. That assistance are the things you see on the tour the medical and dental clinic, the pictures of our clothing closet that right now is over on Bowman Road, our food pantry. The guidance is the work that our staff does in really helping people who feel lost because they've just experienced a divorce, the death of a breadwinner, a terminal illness and they're just lost financially, and so our staff works with people. We'd love to say that we meet people where they are and help them to figure out where they want to go. We don't define success for people, and that resource is part of our mission is that we do a lot at Six Mile Road, but we we cannot do everything, and so there are 200 other nonprofits in Charleston County and we like to connect people to other agencies that can help them with things that we're not able to help with. So that's an important part.
Speaker 2:We started, for those that don't know, after Hurricane Hugo as an emergency relief effort 34 years ago. There weren't the systems in place when a natural disaster hits, so instead it was the parishioners at Christ, our King Church that said we need to do something to help people who had just had that storm hit. I like to say, 34 years later, we're still helping people with storms blowing through their lives every day. But it was our founders vision. Is that in those original days after the storm, when people were lining up for food and water, that he was seeing a lot of people and talking to? Is that in those original days after the storm, when people were lining up for food and water, that he was seeing a lot of people and talking to them and discovering that the storm wasn't the reason they were standing in line at Echo? They had needs long before?
Speaker 3:Hurricane.
Speaker 2:Hugo, and so it was his thought that what was happening after the storm could become a permanent resource in the community.
Speaker 1:And 34 years later, like you said, 34 years later and people still need help.
Speaker 2:They do, absolutely.
Speaker 1:So it's great that these doors are still open and you're continuing to grow.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and that's only because people in the community are willing to support us. And so we always say that we can only serve the community with the support of the community. And so if you visit our website and I hope everyone will at wwwechocharlestonorg, you can click on one button if you need help, and you can click on another button if you want to help, and we realize you need both of those pieces of the puzzle to make all of this work.
Speaker 1:No, I agree 100%, and we were talking earlier Stephanie and running a nonprofit in this day and age can be extremely challenging, and so we're wondering about any unique challenges about running ECHO, especially in Mount Pleasant, and hopefully can help some other local nonprofits or someone who's even thinking about starting a nonprofit in Mount Pleasant.
Speaker 2:And thank you for that question. I think the part about that question what's a unique challenge of running a nonprofit in Mount Pleasant is often that people don't believe there are needs in this community. So we get asked that all the time why is there a need for a place like ECHO in Mount Pleasant, or Mount Perfect as people like to call it, and so recognizing that in Mount Pleasant we have the fourth highest food insecurity rate in the state of South Carolina there are some of those statistics that you know the Chamber's not going to put out there.
Speaker 2:That's not your job to do, but it is our job to make sure that we're meeting those needs in the community. And so to me, I think one of the unique challenges is attracting people's attention to what we do, because if you just sort of look around at Pleasant, you just don't think there's a place that you'd have to donate clothing or food, and so I think that's one of the biggest challenges. But there's opportunities. And so my advice to anybody running a nonprofit is you've got to be out. Just like Town Center is trying to attract business and your insurance company is, we have to attract people to want to support us as well. And so how you're out constantly telling the story, the good things that are happening, sharing the stories of the lives that are changed, that's an important part of the work that we do.
Speaker 1:do that we have to market to attract people to being a part of our circle of neighbors, helping neighbors.
Speaker 3:Wow, that's amazing. Stephanie, earlier we talked about, you know, pulling heartstrings, to just do that. Could you talk a little bit about the medical side and the dental side of what ECHO does?
Speaker 2:Sure. So I'll go back to Monsignor Carter, our founder. His thought was, again back when Echo decided to become incorporated to be a nonprofit, is that people are having trouble putting food on the table, they're probably not taking care of their medical and dental needs. So that was his vision that we would expand beyond just what we used to call basic needs. Now we talk about those being essential needs. People need to eat, they need to have clothing to wear, but they also have to take care of their health, and so it was his goal that we would open a medical clinic first. And so he approached an area church and they said no, they didn't want to partner with us. So he said fine, we'll have a dental clinic, and we have people who remember our original dental clinic. It used to be one chair in the middle of a mobile home that was donated to ECHO through Billy Graham Ministries. Wow, no air conditioning.
Speaker 2:We still have dentists who volunteer with us who actually worked in that clinic, and all we did was extracting teeth. And over the years, the idea has been how do we just not pull teeth, but how do we help people save their teeth? And also recognizing that pulling a tooth takes the pain away, but it's not helping people's oral health be better. So both our medical and dental clinic are really trying to help uninsured individuals maintain their health so they can continue to go to work and take care of their families or, again, not to continue to perpetuate the challenges that they have because you have a medical condition and you can't afford the care to take care of it. It just doesn't help with quality of life and and so the medical clinic still does extractions, but we also do hygiene and we do fillings and sort of basic dentistry. We're not doing cosmetic dentistry there. And then we have a medical clinic that provides good continuity of care for individuals. The goal of that clinic is to keep people out of the emergency room when really what they need is primary care.
Speaker 1:Is the medical clinic at Six Mile.
Speaker 2:It is.
Speaker 1:I remember the dental.
Speaker 2:I didn't remember the medical it is, and actually with our renovation project that's coming up, we will have a health services wing. So the two areas will be together, which we also hope will help people that come in to get that tooth pulled. That will right there they'll be sitting like why don't we sign you up? And also to see a doctor and meet with one of our nurse practitioners. So we've got some great stories of a woman who she was the primary breadwinner in her household.
Speaker 2:She cared for her 80-year-old mother. She came in to get her tooth pulled. Her blood pressure was too high so we said can't do that unless you get medical clearance. Well, I don't have a doctor, great, let's get you over to see the medical staff. And she walked in and the nurse practitioner immediately sent her to the emergency room. She had a quadruple bypass that afternoon. She comes back about a month later for a checkup and the nurse practitioner said something's still not right about your coloring. She had to have a pacemaker put in Again. Something would have happened to her. Where would her 80-year-old mother have gone?
Speaker 2:because she was the caregiver. So there's just interesting stories there that I do say we are saving lives every day. That's impact, it is impact, that's impact.
Speaker 3:Regarding your medical staff, are they all volunteer, or are they paid staff or combination A little?
Speaker 2:combination. Yeah, so the medical staff we pay faculty members from the College of Nursing so they're nurse practitioners, but they bring with them residents, the pharmacist from MUSCC and students that are all volunteers. And then in the dental clinic, we pay a dentist to be there during the day and then people volunteer at night time, and then we also have fourth year dental students from MUSC and Trident technical college is providing us with hygiene students so it's wonderful as much as we can get um donated, we will do.
Speaker 2:And then um, you know the the challenge of course during COVID is we lost a lot of our volunteer dentists because their practices were closed for a few months when COVID started and then they had to get back to work and then sort of got a little out of the routine of volunteering. So at that point we had to start paying a dentist.
Speaker 1:Well, look, that's another way you're helping the community. You're helping these students learn.
Speaker 2:That's right, Absolutely yeah.
Speaker 1:It's a good way to say it Hands-on practice and meeting the community, the people who need them the most and they're able to come help out with you.
Speaker 2:It's amazing partnerships between MUSC, trident Technical College, echo and again trying to also get as much bang for our buck, which is where again, this volunteer piece comes in. We also have speaking of volunteers. Last year we had over 200 volunteers active volunteers who have a weekly shift that show up like it's their job. They are such good, hard workers and then, throughout the year, like the chamber coming in, we probably had close to 350 volunteers who helped us and it was worth almost a million dollars over a million dollars in value of services that they provided. If we had to pay someone to do that work, wow. So again, really great things happening with the people who volunteer and give their time.
Speaker 1:And, speaking of money, we all know you need that to survive in the nonprofit world. What are some of the ways that you found to be the most successful for fundraising and I know it's not just about money, because we were talking earlier and you mentioned Christ, our King and every month they have Grocery Bag Sunday and people in the parish just fill up grocery bags and it goes directly to Echo, which I am very proud and honored to say I do every month.
Speaker 1:So that obviously fills your food pantry, but you need money for other things. So what are some of your more successful fundraising projects or ideas that you've done?
Speaker 2:So thank you for pointing out that it does take money to run a nonprofit. All the services we provide to the people who come in the door asking for help are free, but there is nothing free about any of the things that we do, and so about 13% of our operating budget comes from fundraisers. I'm going to speak into existence that what we found to be really effective is our pickleball tournament that's coming up in June. It's Charleston's first inaugural pickleball tournament that we'll be doing on the weekend of June 14th, 15th and 16th, and that speaks to when you can get people doing something they love and doing it for a cause, oh, absolutely right.
Speaker 2:So, we also have an annual golf tournament that helps us to raise money, and then we have moved from large galas during COVID Prior to that, we did a big gala, and now we do these small events called Do Good Gatherings, and so there are about 100 to 125 people, versus an event with 300 to 400 people in where we have an opportunity to help educate them about what echo does. There's a silent auction, there's an opportunity to make a donation on our impact appeal, but we're finding those small, intimate gatherings sort of mirror what echo is all about, of neighbors helping neighbors who actually can feel very connected to individuals. So those are things. Our biggest way that money comes in, though, is through individuals, that and businesses that make donations to us. Um, that's 80 of our budget is just people who are willing to say I have a little extra and I'm willing to give to help somebody who needs that assistance. 80 of your budget budget Wow, maybe 75, but it's, at least it's a really it's still a lot, that's right, it's still a lot.
Speaker 2:I told you I never did an accounting class, but it's a big part of the budget. It's truly. It's just it's churches that make donations. It's, you know, your business that came in during COVID it's, and the bulk of our donors give under $250. And the bulk of our donors give under $250. It takes a lot more of them. So last year we had 1,229 entities that made a financial donation. And then we have all those people that are giving their time and their talent and they're filling grocery bags. People are giving in so many incredible ways that it all adds up to make a big difference Financially.
Speaker 2:You know you ask about unique challenges. Nonprofits have the same challenges your businesses do about trying to hire good people and pay them fair living wages and make sure they feel invested in that we're doing their professional development, that we've got good technology so that they can do their work, and so there are costs associated that aren't real sexy, but they're necessary so that we can continue to meet people where they are and provide help. And so financial donations is probably the biggest area, along with food, that we can always use more of, and that's not so that we can just keep getting better equipment, but it's just so we can keep up.
Speaker 1:And you know I think we said this, michael and I met with Joe Elmore from the Charleston Animal Society for one of these amazing podcasts and we were talking about. You know, there's people who don't have a lot of extra money right, but they do have time.
Speaker 1:They have time. Absolutely, and I think it's really important for our listeners to understand that giving of your time is just as valuable as if you're able to give thousands of dollars, because these organizations cannot run without the help of volunteers. Absolutely. So if you're thinking about helping out and you just say, you know, I just don't have the money, you know, you can find the time. That's right, so just always keep that in the back of your mind.
Speaker 2:That's right and we do. Now we're getting ready to go under construction. We did a capital campaign two years ago to help renovate our current facility, so this will stop for about a year, but on the first Saturday of each month we have groups come in, like the chamber group. It's also a time when families can come in, and what I love about that is parents want their children to see them in action, and so that's been a really effective time for us, for people who work during the week that you could once a year you could every Saturday sign up to be able to come in and help.
Speaker 2:We're hoping to be selected as the beneficiary for the Blessing of the Fleet this year and then we have to provide about 100 volunteers. You could sign up to help with that event and say I'm representing Echo, the Cocoa Cup Every year. We're a recipient for the last six years and again are looking for people who will go and help that race run, knowing that what you're doing will help bring money back into Echo. So there's all sorts of ways, and we love when people call and say well, I can't come in Monday through Friday. Great, could you do a food drive in your community? You do a laundry detergent drive. So we will always meet people where they are and figure out how they can engage their family, their mahjong group, their bunco club, their book clubs to be able to help us out.
Speaker 1:I remember, at Town Center last last holiday, we had our first ever. We had a special holiday concert in December of 22. Yeah, right, and I, you know I don't like to charge people for things, right, but I always, I always want to help. So what we did is, instead of, instead of an admission, a price admission for a ticket you had to bring canned food Canned goods Mm-hmm. And and Stephanie was like.
Speaker 2:I'm all over it, I'll be there, and she was there with the van and barrels and everyone who listened brought canned food.
Speaker 1:But I think it's every little bit helps, right? I mean it has to Absolutely.
Speaker 2:And we'll have that situation even with our clients sometimes, that maybe they received something at Christmas from a family member but they can't wear it and they want to donate it, even though they're coming to our clothing closet. And so it's big and small. I think I shared with you the story we were talking earlier. During COVID. We had a little eight-year-old boy who had a rock collection. He saw on the news that there were people experiencing homelessness in the Charleston area so he went out, unknownst to his mother and sold his rock collection to the area neighbors and kept, sent home with all this money. And she's like what are you doing? And he said I sold my rock collection and the neighbors bought rocks because he wanted to be able to give back. And so it's big and small ways that, but it all adds up.
Speaker 3:And I was it is.
Speaker 2:And I say to our staff all the time you don't know if the person walking through the door needs a can of chicken noodle soup, or they're coming to donate a can of chicken noodle soup, or they're coming to bring $10,000 worth of Campbell stock.
Speaker 1:All of those people are important to this equation and we're so glad for their help.
Speaker 2:Great point.
Speaker 3:You know out of a town of over 90,000 people and you had less than 1,300 cash donations. We can do better than that and I hope our listeners hear that.
Speaker 2:And thank you for that. I figured out. We did the math. So last year we served 1,739 families, and so then we had that 1,229. So we still need 500 families or businesses to make a financial donation. So there's at least one financial donation per family that we serve. And that's my challenge is, how do we get that extra five hundred and ten? Okay, everybody.
Speaker 1:You just heard Stephanie's challenge and again, donations of every size matter.
Speaker 2:Last year we had a 2.3 million dollar operating budget and we raised almost the 2.3, but the value of the services that we provided was over 3.1. So I promise for every dollar people give, I will get a dollar 25's worth of value back out to the people that are serving. And again, that's because you're filling up those grocery bags and having food drives for us at your events. It's just amazing the generosity in this community. That's. That's the part that makes my heart so happy. Here there's just people that want to make a difference.
Speaker 1:And we also work together. We were talking with the toy drives at holiday time town center. For the past I've been there eight years, it's probably been over that Adopt some families and we get the stores involved and collect all the toys. And I think my favorite part is when I get the thank you notes from the families. I mean, I wish I personally could adopt four families, but I can't. So I reach out to my stores and my customers and they really do it, man.
Speaker 1:They stand up and they bring so much joy to these kids, and it makes me really happy. It's something I'm very proud of.
Speaker 2:And thank you, because there are churches that will have angel trees that bring things.
Speaker 2:There's individual families again that do that.
Speaker 2:Echo's services are primarily for adults, but this is how we are helping the children, and so last year there were 777 children in the households that we were serving and they are people who are living with single moms.
Speaker 2:In many cases they're children living with grandparents. There's a lot of kinship care going on in the houses that we're serving and in many of those situations, on the income that those single moms have, there would not have been Christmas under the tree if it wasn't for people like you that are willing to adopt and shop off the wish list and bring the items that come in and Christmas is so fun. I will tell you, when you work at the adopt a family Santa's closet location and the moms pick up and you see their tears of the relief of my child's going to have a great Christmas because of somebody else's generosity. It's very, very heartwarming, and so we do give people the option. Would you like to write a note to the person or individual that adopted you? They don't know that it was town center and you don't know who they are, but then you get this neat note.
Speaker 1:We did four families this past holiday. I have all four, thank you notes in our conference room because I'm so proud of everything that we did to help out.
Speaker 2:And I hope, michael, as you challenge people, we can get more donors. That's part of my job is to make sure that anyone that donates to ECHO knows how grateful we are, because you often won't hear directly from the family, but I can tell you that our volunteers will say every day people say thank you. If it wasn't for ECHO, what would I do? And so that is for the people who write a check but never take a tour or never get a chance to interact with people. But there's a lot of gratitude, um, that you know, because people say, well, people are taking advantage. And I'm like people are not taking advantage.
Speaker 2:One of my favorite stories I had a gentleman. He has his own garden and so he hadn't been in all summer. When mr washington comes in, we all love him because he makes us all feel like we're the most important person. He's a world war War II veteran in his late 80s, just the kindest gentleman. But I said, where have you been? And he said, stephanie, my garden has been growing. Why would I come in and ask you for food?
Speaker 2:And I was like and it is a reminder. People don't come and ask for more than they need. They come in because they need help and they're grateful for what they get, but when they can do for on their own, they do on their own.
Speaker 2:I bet you his garden tasted delicious, exactly, and then I said and then I have joked and said to him well, if you have extra. And so he actually the next time he came in, brought something in and said let me donate this. I mean so our clients, even with as little as they have. So last year the average income for our households was $17,140. That's the average and there's a lot of people we had 22% of our clients last year who have zero reportable income. They have no money coming in.
Speaker 2:So they're people that were sweetgrass basket makers Right, and now they have arthritis and can't do it and so there's no money coming in. Or they had a workplace injury and so they're waiting to get disability. Sure, and as one gentleman wrote in a survey we did, he said it's really hard to go to the grocery store when there's no money coming into your house. And so he said if it wasn't for Echo, my family would not have any means to be able to feed our families. But I want to be sure that people know the people that are being helped, that you may never meet, are so grateful for those who give whatever they can in terms of time, talent or treasure.
Speaker 3:Absolutely. One of the things that I did notice when I was there was the clothes closet. Can you speak to that? I mean because I saw that there were nice clothes. I mean right now, personally, I'm between my fat suit and my skinny suit.
Speaker 1:Who isn't Okay, it's February.
Speaker 3:I'm kind of caught in the middle here, but there are things that I can certainly donate, but what are those used for and how? Does tell us a little bit about that process and that part of Echo?
Speaker 2:Yeah, so thank you. So the clothing closet is now located on Bowman Road, so not at our facility, and we accept any gently used clothing items of baby size up to adult sizes. But our clients and not all of our clients use the clothing closet. We actually have a World War II vet, another one that's the only service he uses at Echo is that he's like I just can't afford to be able to purchase clothing when his size changed too he joked and told me or seasons change.
Speaker 2:So our clients can come twice a month and, based on their family size, determines the number of items that they can get. If you shop or have seen pictures, our clothing closet is like a really beautiful consignment shop because we have people who buy beautiful things in town and then donate Some of my favorite stories of. We have women who say that came into our clothing closet to find the dress to wear to their daughter's wedding or their granddaughter's wedding. So we have beautiful things, we have work clothes. Somebody gets a job at Target and they suddenly need a lot of red shirts. We're going to find that for them in our clothing closet.
Speaker 2:So we also do household linens there and we do shoes, we do coats and what we really like about it. Because you know, we all have a moment where you need to go out for a little retail therapy and that's fun. You get to go into Town Center and visit the great stores and take off the stress Imagine if you don't have any money to do that and so we like to make that shopping experience feel like it's the retail therapy where no money exchanges hands.
Speaker 1:And how do you donate to so people?
Speaker 2:can drop things off at Six Mile.
Speaker 1:Road, we have a big container.
Speaker 2:Right now during construction. That may change. And then there's also bins over at Bowman Road where people can drop off on the weekends or Monday through Thursday from 10 to 4. Volunteers are there and receive.
Speaker 1:Where exactly on Bowman is it?
Speaker 2:So it's 1111, right across from Kudzu Bakery and the shopping center there that has the designer shoe warehouse in.
Speaker 1:Oh, okay, used to be.
Speaker 2:Atkinson Pools and Spas showroom.
Speaker 1:Now it is, it's where we're at, and the reason why I'm asking is because in my neighborhood all the time everyone's like where can I bring these clothes, where can I bring this, where can I bring this? And I hate to admit it but I didn't know you took clothes.
Speaker 2:Oh, my goodness. So here we go, and there's always still more to learn.
Speaker 1:Everyone listening out there. Okay, you don't just have to throw them out.
Speaker 2:Now about being transparent. We get probably five times the amount of clothing that we can use. So I would like people to know we do things that we can't use, things that might be beyond gently used or again are out of style and we think, oh, we probably wouldn't wear that, we're not going to put it on Again. That goes back to treating people with grace and dignity, but we will sell those for textile recycling. What that allows us to do is bring money back in to help run the clothing closet and then also to purchase underwear and socks and bras, because those are things that we don't use.
Speaker 1:You can't donate those.
Speaker 2:That's right. So we do want people to know we don't always use every single item that comes in, but every single item that come in is used to support ECHO's mission. So that jacket you drop off, we might think, ah, we don't need any more jackets in this size. But the money that will come in and it's just pennies on the pound, but it's going to help us get something that we have to purchase new.
Speaker 3:So good questions.
Speaker 2:And so, and that we just had a newscaster who came in who read about something on Facebook that we text out.
Speaker 2:She used textile recycling and she said tell me more about that, and so we want to be clear with people that we don't want people. I was standing in a consignment shop recently where I heard someone say they throw everything you donate immediately into the textile recycling. I'm like, no, we don't, we go through. We have volunteers that check everything. But I would say 20% of what gets donated actually goes out to clients because we get so much um, but we can use it. That's we love to say, how we don't leave much meat on the bone. We will use everything that comes through the door to benefit echo's mission well, look so much more than a food pantry here I am.
Speaker 1:I mean, I know you do more than that, but I'm not sure many people in Mount Pleasant realize how much you do between the food and the doctors and the dental and clothing and just you know, like you said, support. It's so important to me. You've been a huge part of the Mount Pleasant town since, again since I got here eight years ago. You were one of the first things I heard of, first things I wanted to get involved with, and I just love that you're growing. Tell us a little bit about the renovation.
Speaker 2:So back in January of 2020, we had a board retreat and the decision was made. The food pantry and the clothing closet were all in the same space and it was starting to get to be a little unsafe. Because we're serving more families, we needed more things, and so they were like we need to build a new facility. So we went through the whole due diligence process and deciding whether we could raise enough money to do that and discover that we probably couldn't. And, as you'll remember, january of 2020, what happened two months later?
Speaker 2:The world got sick, and so at that that point, we moved the clothing closet out and expanded the warehouse, but we also decided to do a capital campaign to reconfigure the building. Because clothing is across town. We reopened it over there and it's it's for some of our clients, it's it's hard enough to get to six mile road and then you ask them to go three more miles down the road. If they pay someone to drive them to echo, then If they pay someone to drive them to Echo, then they have to pay someone to drive them further so, and our volunteers miss being a part of the big picture.
Speaker 2:So one of the things we're proud of is that all of our services are under one roof. So we did this capital campaign so we can either build a new building, which didn't, isn't going to happen but instead we're going to renovate the facility.
Speaker 1:So the closed closet is going to come back. It's coming back, that's right, it is. Oh, that's wonderful. So that's what that's all about.
Speaker 2:So it's one stop shopping now Correct, that's right, so we'll get back to that. So we have not been since the pandemic hit, but hopefully, if we break ground this April that's the plan that it'll take us about a year, so I'm hoping in April of 2025, maybe you'll have me come back and talk about the new facility. In the new renovated facility, there will be one door that people walk through to get help and then there will be one door where you drop off your clothing and food donations at the same place. So, again, trying to make it as simple as possible whether you're coming for help or to help.
Speaker 1:That's awesome, and I know this is going to be a difficult question because you do so much. But is there a favorite part of being an executive director? Is there something that just makes you either smile or cry with joys of happiness? Or, you know, running an organization like this, it's got to be emotional.
Speaker 2:It is, and thank you. I do this because I'm passionate about people. I always tell people in the town where I grew up, if there had been an Echo, I think my grandmother would have been eligible. I have several aunts and uncles that probably would have been, and to me they're some of the greatest people in my life and I want to treat everybody who walks through our door like they're somebody's aunt or uncle or grandparent. And they were good, hardworking people. They just didn't have a lot, and so to me it's the people that are the best part, but it's the client story.
Speaker 2:So this past year we were selected to be a recipient of the Good Cheer Fund that the Post and Courier did that program where they collect donations, and our plan was, if the money came in, that we would help senior citizens, because you know we have that program to help the kids. Um, and so there was a gentleman who got a new mattress through this whole program and he called and left a message that one of my colleagues forwarded to me where he said denise, do you hear that? Do you hear that? That's my back yelling hallelujah?
Speaker 2:I haven't had a new mattress in 40 years and I was like oh, and those are the things where you just think sometimes it's the simplest things that we do.
Speaker 3:I did that. I did that. I have something to do with that Somehow.
Speaker 2:I was here and made it possible. I wrote the grant that got us selected.
Speaker 1:That brought in the money.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it's those sorts of things.
Speaker 3:Make an impact, it makes an impact and it reminds people that they're still good.
Speaker 2:We talk all the time that ECHO provides help, but, more importantly, we provide hope Absolutely, and to me, that's the part that I love the best about it is that I'm a piece of making sure that people still believe about the good in this world, because it can be easy to ignore that or not see that enough in our world. So I love thinking I'm a small part of that in Mount Pleasant and who knows, maybe somebody we help in Mount Pleasant or we help some mother who helps her child who's going to go to college someday and figure out the cure to cancer and solve some of our bigger problems in this world.
Speaker 2:I just think I'm playing a small part in trying to make this world a better place, so that's my favorite part when you need people to help carry that water and do those things.
Speaker 3:Can you tell us about some of your local partnerships, especially maybe on the food side, sure, how you get those things into your facility to then give out?
Speaker 2:That's right. So five days a week we have a driver that visits 13 local grocery stores to pick up. They're called our retail partners. Those are partnerships that are all brokered through Feeding America at the Low Country Food Bank level. So, like when Costco and Mount Pleasant opened up, we didn't go and say can we come and pick up? Low Country Food Bank said Echo will be able to be a recipient of all of that.
Speaker 2:Costco is one of our biggest players. We actually had to put in a second walk-in cooler when they became one of our partners. But we pick up from Lowe's 141. We pick up from Aldi. Three Harris Teeters have just joined Publix to both Walmarts in Mount Pleasant. So there's lots of places. There's the 48 churches that do grocery bag Sundays that help to stock those shelves, and then there's the 130 communities that did food drives last year as well. So those are some of our biggest partners. I would also say another big partner on the medical side is Roper, st Francis. So they provide free lab work for all of our patients. So if the nurse practitioner thinks I need some diagnostic testing, we are able to give that person a voucher to go to Roper to get that blood work, that x-ray or that test that needs to be done so that that information can come back and then the nurse practitioner can help to figure out what is the right course of action.
Speaker 1:We've come a long way from just pulling teeth.
Speaker 2:We've come a long way where all that's concerned. So Roper is another big partner of ours as well, as well as MUSC. So it takes big and small the partnerships to happen. And then Nucor this will be their 12th year of sponsoring our golf tournament as well, so they're a major player in terms of and Fleet Feet I want to give a big shout out to, because of the Cocoa Cup that brought in $12,000. It cost us $10,000 a day to run the wellness pantry, so they helped keep it running for another day as a result of that $10,000 a day.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and that's thinking about. You know, we've got two big walk-in coolers and a walk-in freezer and the electric bill back there alone, but it's all the costs associated, including that we also purchase a certain amount of food. So that's been our biggest increase lately is we're not seeing more people.
Speaker 1:You're not alone there.
Speaker 2:Exactly. Well, think about that. So you do grocery bag Sundays every month and people still do. But if you used to, if you think well, I have fifty dollars a month to fill this bag. Fifty dollars doesn't fill that bag as far as much as it did. So people are coming in and still donating, being very generous, but we're even seeing that it takes more people because people are giving a little bit less, because the cost is impacting everyone the cost of food.
Speaker 2:And what we're seeing is we're not seeing more people coming into Echo right now, but the people we're helping are coming in for more help. So we have a financial assistance program where we might help you pay your rent or your mortgage or utility bill, and sometimes people would come and say I need this help. Well, how about food? Because you qualify oh, no, things aren't that bad, I don't need free food. But more and more people are taking advantage of the food pantry. Um, because their dot, everyone's dollars, do not go as far as they used to, and so the biggest ways that people be helping us right now is again filling up those grocery bags, dropping off donations and and sending checks that allow us then to purchase the food and make sure we get the items that are most requested and most needed through the food pantry. So what's the most requested? So great question. I actually had asked us a few years ago. The most requested think very regional, so the most popular grits are always that's on the top 10 list.
Speaker 3:Go ahead.
Speaker 2:Rice is another big one that people really like so sometimes I could talk to you about beans. That's a whole issue. Peanut butter is another big one that people really like, so sometimes I could talk to you about beans.
Speaker 1:That's a whole issue.
Speaker 2:Peanut butter is another big one. So yeah, those good filling things, Denny Moore beef stew flies off the shelves.
Speaker 1:Any kind of beef stew.
Speaker 2:I've actually bought quite a few cans of that myself to donate Laundry detergent, any sort of toothpaste, deodorant, shampoo, household cleaning supply, and the reason for that is if you have food stamps, which the average family gets about a hundred dollars worth of food stamps so you know how far a hundred dollars goes, but you can't use that to purchase any kind of non-food items. So if you have no income coming in now, you have no way to buy toothpaste. You have no way to buy a laundry detergent, and a mother of seven tell me once that when she came to Echo and there was laundry detergent, she thought she hit the lottery and I was like oh, I feel so a little embarrassed that I've never been that excited about being able to purchase laundry detergent, so we start asking for it. Coffee is another thing, high ticket items at the grocery store that people are like, oh, I can't have coffee in the morning Because again, someone's generous enough to do that. But lima beans were the most popular canned vegetables.
Speaker 1:See, it's the beans Beans.
Speaker 2:Yes, that's true. I was thinking dried beans when you said that, and then peaches were the most, or pineapple was the most popular and peaches was the second Pineapple.
Speaker 1:Really.
Speaker 2:But fresh fruits and vegetables are also very, very popular and again through Costco, we get a lot of that. We do a monthly farmer's market and we like to remind people whatever you buy for your family, you can donate to us. So fresh fruits and vegetables, feel free to Well.
Speaker 1:those are also so important for the kids.
Speaker 2:They are Right.
Speaker 1:Because you want to be able. I mean, feeding children is one thing, feeding them healthy and good for them is so much more important.
Speaker 2:Thank you for saying that. So like if you would buy low-sodium canned vegetables for your family, we ask that you would donate that as well, and that if you buy canned fruit that's not in high-fructose syrup, we ask that you would do that as well.
Speaker 1:That's a really great point and I think that's something again that I wouldn't have thought of, right? And I do the bags all the time, so you know, for our listeners out there, think about that when you're purchasing or even cleaning out your cupboard. Whatever you have that you're able to donate food Hopefully it's something that you'd want your child to eat, Correct, right, instead of just filling this bag with, you know, swedish fish. Let's just, you know, let's make sure it's healthy.
Speaker 2:And quantity is important, but we're a wellness pantry. Is what our wellness and that's intentional that 20% of the food that we have available to the families that we're serving is fresh fruits and vegetables. It does not mean you have to choose 20% of it, but what we do is so. It's a point system that our clients use to get a certain number of points to spend each month. The fresh items cost less points than the canned items do, because we're trying to encourage people to take those fresh items because our clients are going to go for quantity, sometimes over quality.
Speaker 2:But you know we're serving people with gluten allergies and food sensitivities, and so even the soups. At one time we used to just have a category called soups and I said, if you give me cream of broccoli and I'm lactose intolerant what does that do to health?
Speaker 3:So?
Speaker 2:now we have broth-based soups and cream-based soups because again, we want people to get the things their family will enjoy and that they can eat.
Speaker 1:That's so important.
Speaker 3:Stephanie, what are the hours of operation that someone can deliver things and donate?
Speaker 2:So 10 to 4, Monday through Friday is the donations and then if people are looking for help. It's 10 to 4, monday through Thursday and then Friday by appointment. There's a lot of paperwork that goes associated with what we do, so Fridays is the day the staff gets caught up on all of that.
Speaker 1:Well, again, if you have not taken a tour, but you did mention they're going to stop for a little bit that is correct.
Speaker 2:Make that clear before I tell everybody to go that's right so, but you could still go to our website under ways to help click on the tour button. We still have tours happening in this month there are still two and two that will be happening in march as well and then you can also follow us on social media. During construction, we'll be doing lots of updates about what's happening, showing people the progress, and we're also looking to get an online virtual tour available through our website.
Speaker 1:So well, it's going to be fun then, because the next tours will be your new facility all right. So if you can't just hold on until they reopen, and then go see their new place, because you will be more amazed than it even is now. That's right, and reopen for tours.
Speaker 2:That's the big thing. Please help spread the word that we are somehow during construction. We are going to continue to run the medical clinic, the dental clinic, the food pantry and the clothing closet. We're still planning on. Um, that is the fun. That is my every day right now figuring all of that out. But, um, we love to say we never closed a single day during covid. And we're going to figure out construction is just the is just the COVID we see coming, so we're going to figure out how to do it.
Speaker 1:At least you have time to plan. We are, we're planning. We did not have time. It wasn't like that day that came to. You know, the whole world came to a stop. That's right?
Speaker 3:Um, well, before we let you go, michael, and.
Speaker 1:I are going to throw some fun questions at you, rapid you.
Speaker 3:So if you could, have dinner with any historical figure.
Speaker 1:Who would it be?
Speaker 2:Maya Angelou.
Speaker 1:The author and poet.
Speaker 2:I have read just about every book that she has published. I saw her speak in person and I would love the chance to just to be able to speak to her. She is a person who came from some very humble roots, but always looking forward and lifting her eyes up made sure that, so I would love to be able to be inspired by her. That's wonderful.
Speaker 3:Are you a morning person or a night owl?
Speaker 2:Night owl because I spent 25 years working on college campuses, but I'm slowly turning into a morning person because I have a board that loves to meet at 8 o'clock in the morning. But if I had my choice, I'd rather be up all night.
Speaker 3:So this will lead into another one. I'm going to steal it. Kathy, coffee or tea.
Speaker 2:Tea, iced tea.
Speaker 3:Iced tea.
Speaker 2:Iced tea Unsweet With lots of ice With lots of ice, lots of ice, that's right.
Speaker 1:Do you have a guilty pleasure?
Speaker 2:Like something that you just you know. So almost embarrassed. It is almost embarrassed to say that I am hooked on hallmark movies. Um, during the christmas season I love a good hallmark movie and of course they show them year-round. Which?
Speaker 1:is fun I was gonna say july, that's true to watch, and I will tell you why in my job.
Speaker 2:There's so much everyday problem solving and uncertainty about things that come up that people were helping have a lot of uncertainty in their life, but a hallmark movie starts at eight and by ten there's a happy ending.
Speaker 3:I enjoy that two hours, every time.
Speaker 2:Every time there's a happy ending, and I love the predictability.
Speaker 1:I love the big city boy moves to the farm, girl and you know, and then it snows in the middle of Georgia or whatever, and I fall in love and it is a great stress reliever.
Speaker 2:I have a a friend who's like oh, I watch Law Order. I'm like that stresses me out. They're just happy stories.
Speaker 1:I have friends that are addicted to crime shows. That's what calms them down.
Speaker 2:No, that doesn't calm me down. Well see, I mean but, and I'm friends with them, that's a little scary, right. And a bag of potato chips while I'm watching and a glass of wine are my other two guilty pleasures, Very nice.
Speaker 3:That's awesome. That's outstanding. Let's see, one thing we have to ask are you sweet or savory? And we talked about pancakes or waffles earlier. So sweet or savory pancakes or waffles?
Speaker 2:Savory would be my, but again, as you get a little older, somehow that sweet stuff. I will not turn down any dark chocolate that comes my way To go with the wine. That's right, there you go.
Speaker 1:Well, they make a perfect pair to each other. I'm going to bother with one more. If you weren't doing what you're doing now and doing an amazing job at it, by the way is there a dream alternate job that you'd be doing right now?
Speaker 2:I would love to be an events coordinator, and particularly a wedding planner. I think would be just great fun. That's my other thing.
Speaker 1:You want to deal with bridezillas? You know what? Oh yeah, really, I would be unfazed by that.
Speaker 2:I'd want to smack them all. So that's sort of the other thing, I think. Or the other part is I'd love to in Mount Pleasant, I think, or the other part is I'd love to, in Mount Pleasant, have this little fabulous gift shop. I always thought that would be a fun thing to do.
Speaker 1:I'll come work for you.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and wrap people's birthday presents to give to other people.
Speaker 1:So it's something that feels happy.
Speaker 2:Yes, and what I do at Echo makes me really happy. This truly is the great privilege of my life is running this organization. We can tell Stephanie.
Speaker 1:We can tell. I cannot thank you enough on behalf of Michael and myself and Charleston Radio Group and the Mount Pleasant Chamber of Commerce, which, of course, you're also a huge participant in. We see you all the time, and so we hope we're here for you, as you're here for the community as well. Cannot thank you enough for your time today. And everyone listen. You know there's a lot of organizations that are very worthy very worthy organizations in this town and, of course, echo is just one of them.
Speaker 1:So please, you know, take a look into it and see if there's anything that you can donate. Clean out your closet, something in your pantry, something in your refrigerator and, of course, something in your wallet Anything, anything helps. So, stephanie, thank you so very much for being here with us today.
Speaker 2:You know, last week at the chamber meeting, when Jim Sonfeld spoke and he talked about the importance of giving back in some way. I hope that's the message everybody takes. It may not be ECHO there's a lot of great organizations but you have plenty to choose from and if you want to give back to this community, there's lots of ways to do it. I hope you'll think of Echo and if not, I'll connect people to another organization. Well, we're thinking of Echo today because you're here with us. So thank you. I appreciate that. Thank you, which is fantastic.
Speaker 1:Again, thank you so very much for your time. Before we leave, I'd like to thank again our sponsors. Charleston Radio Group. Brian, thank you always for being here for us. If you want to be a sponsor of our podcast or you'd like to be a guest on our podcast, you can reach out to one of us at the chamber. Make sure and I always make I have to read this, because there's so many ways to get this podcast. Be sure to like and subscribe to all of our media channels Spotify, itunes, youtube, instagram, facebook and LinkedIn. Mike Mike. Mike Compton, who was our marketing chair, has got us covered, got us covered.
Speaker 1:So thank you again, all of us for being here today. Michael, always a pleasure co-hosting with you.
Speaker 3:Thank you.
Speaker 1:Stephanie, we wish you guys the best of luck with the renovation and we look forward to seeing you again soon. Until next time, Mount Pleasant. Until next time, listeners.
