For those facing substance use disorder, the best path to recovery is lined with a caring community and strong support system. Yarborough Applegate is proud to be part of that community in Charleston, South Carolina, through our ongoing support of WakeUp Carolina. Our firm recently sponsored WakeUp Carolina’s 2021 Give Hope Breakfast, which raised more than $65,000 for the organization.
Through 11 different services, WakeUp Carolina offers resources and support for individuals and families facing addiction and substance abuse disorder at no cost to them. These include individual and group recovery meetings, sober nights out, and family support groups. WakeUp Carolina’s presence is vital in Charleston County, where overdoses have reportedly been in overdrive during the pandemic. Support from community partners like Yarborough Applegate has been critical in helping WakeUp Carolina addressing these rising numbers, says Nanci Steadman Shipman, the organization’s founder.
“We tripled our programs over the last year—not because we planned to, but just in order to meet the need,” Shipman says. “Requests for virtual support groups, walk-ins, and calls have been through the roof.”
Thanks to the funds raised at the fourth-annual breakfast, WakeUp Carolina can continue to improve programs and seek a much-needed larger space to call home.
Yarborough Applegate founding partner David Yarborough was the keynote speaker of WakeUp Carolina’s breakfast, which was attended by nearly 200 people, with another 100 joining virtually. “David’s words were palpable,” Shipman says. “He spoke to how a family can impact hope and recovery, and ultimately help make it all possible. By sharing his personal work, belief in what we do, and his own lived experience, he ignited something in other people.”
Yarborough Applegate matched up to $25,000 in donations at the breakfast. “That call to action touched people’s hearts, and gave them an extra push,” Shipman adds. “For many, this was a taste of what we do and who we are. The breakfast had the most first-time attendees yet—and nearly everyone donated.”
WakeUp Carolina celebrated its fifth year in operation in November, and its third year of providing services. The nonprofit partners with DHEC and DAODAS, and is recognized by the agencies as a state grantee. In 2021, WakeUp Carolina gave $30,000 in scholarships for treatment programs—something Shipman hopes can continue, and hopefully increase, in the coming years. The recent fundraising will be critical in helping the nonprofit strategically plan ways to do that and more in 2022.
Several plans are already underway for the new year, including WakeUp Carolina’s first-ever fundraising gala, the High 5 for Hope Gala on April 28, 2022. Community education events are also planned at area high schools and middle schools. For the first time, WakeUp Carolina will offer peer support training, and will host an open house and volunteer fair for those interested in getting involved with the organization. For the most up-to-date information on these events and more, follow WakeUp Carolina’s Facebook and Instagram pages.
To learn more about WakeUp Carolina or to find out how you can support its mission, click here.
Yarborough Applegate is thrilled to continue our support of WakeUp Carolina, a Charleston, South Carolina-based organization that offers resources and support for individuals and families facing addiction and substance abuse disorder at no cost to them.
As we savor the final days of 2021, we wanted to take a moment and revisit some of the year’s defining movements for our team here at Yarborough Applegate, and extend our deepest gratitude to all those who we’ve had the honor of working with along the way.
As 2022 came to a close, we had the pleasure of attending WakeUp Carolina’s annual fundraising breakfast, where the nonprofit sets the stage for the next year of operations and growth.
Yarborough Applegate is proud to support the Dee Norton Child Advocacy Center, a nonprofit with a mission of preventing abuse, protecting children, and healing families.
Our attorneys will take the lead on educating our peers on what we’ve learned from handling dram shop cases through a series of continuing education opportunities.
Yarborough Applegate is proud to support statewide innovation by contributing to South Carolina Research Authority’s (SCRA) Industry Partnership Fund.