61 www.CharlestonWomenPodcast.com | www.ReadCW.com | www.Instagram.com/CharlestonWomen As an attorney by day, Shrivastav has found that working with NAMI in her current role has helped her to grow professionally in unexpected ways. “Over the course of my presidency, I have had to develop my collaboration and teamwork skills,” she shared. “As an attorney, I am quite used to handling everything myself. With NAMI, no one walks alone. I have had to understand that NAMI work is always a team effort.” For Erica Beauchamp, a board of directors member, it was a personal experience with mental health that led to her role with NAMI. “As someone diagnosed with bipolar disorder late in life, I needed someone or something to help me navigate this uncharted territory,” she shared. “My therapist told me about NAMI and it seemed like an organization that had a lot to offer someone like me. That was in 2012, and I’ve been involved with the organization ever since.” Now, Beauchamp is grateful for the opportunity to give back to the community by offering support and education to others. When a family member was diagnosed with a mental health condition, Kelly Troy, development coordinator, discovered NAMI and has been a part of the organization for over 20 years. “I learned that NAMI was founded by four moms around a kitchen table who also needed help with their loved ones,” said Troy. “It has made this journey less painful because we are a family. No one chooses to be a part of this club but when you are in it, you realize that you are not alone.” Malinda Witherspoon-Terry, NAMI’s community outreach coordinator, founded NAMI after a family member’s suicide attempt. “The need for mental health warriors has never been greater, and NAMI is an organization dedicated to advocating for those who don’t always use their voice,” Beauchamp said. “We work to educate and support individuals and families who, at times, feel there is nowhere else to turn. In short, NAMI saves lives.” Caring for Charleston’s Children: CHARLESTON HOPE Emily Kerr, founder and executive director of Charleston Hope, discovered her passion for helping local children living in poverty during her senior year in high school. When her older sister, a first-year teacher in a high-poverty school, shared that many of her students wouldn’t be receiving Christmas presents, Kerr decided to organize a toy drive. “As I pursued my studies in early childhood education at the College of Charleston, I became increasingly aware that the same gaps in support and resources that I witnessed then would persist when I eventually became a teacher myself,” Kerr shared. “I was determined to take action.” Instead of entering the classroom, after completing her degree, Kerr took a leap of faith and embarked on the journey of building Charleston Hope from the ground up. “At the time, we lacked programs, structure, staff and financial resources,” she shared. “However, I hit the ground running and take immense pride in the fact that, over the past six years, we have grown into the thriving organization we are today.” With a mission to improve mental and behavioral health programs in Title 1 schools, Charleston Hope is dedicated to being school-based, bringing essential support, including trauma-informed therapy and empowering afterschool programs directly to students. “When children undergo difficult circumstances, it is unrealistic to expect them to independently process and overcome these challenges,” said Kerr. “However, we can provide them with a secure environment, staffed by trained and licensed professionals, who can assist them in working through their struggles.” Serving as the executive director of Charleston Hope has meant so much more to Kerr than a list of job duties. “It is a uniquely purpose-driven experience where every action is geared toward making the world a better place by combating systems of oppression and injustice,” she reflected. “It’s something that stays with me every night as I go to bed, often leaving me with a sense of not doing enough and a constant desire to do more.” Eliminating Racism and Empowering Women: YWCA CHARLESTON LaVanda Brown brought 25 years of passionate commitment to serving people in need to her role as executive director of YWCA Charleston. After working in programs supporting under-resourced youth, families, the unhoused, those impacted by HIV or AIDS and people impacted by mental health and substance use issues, Brown saw an opportunity to make lasting, Charleston Women in Philanthropy Emily Kerr of Charleston Hope.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MjcyNTM1