East Cooper Faith Network (ECFN) is a collaborative network of faith and charitable organizations East of the Cooper. Our belief is that we can DO MORE and DO BETTER if we work in harmony to serve our collective community. Through collaborations we serve the community more comprehensively with coordinated resources and focused communication — all the while decreasing redundant efforts.
Our Mission is to serve the East Cooper community by connecting faith and charitable organizations with community needs.
We live in a community blessed with abundance; natural beauty, good schools, safe neighborhoods and first-class public amenities. But hidden from view or perhaps just unseen, are neighbors whose lives are not so blessed. For many, the struggle to make ends meet is all they have ever known. They grew up poor, live poor and are raising their kids in poverty.
Despite good intentions, many of the poorest continually fall behind, lacking the education and resources needed to get ahead. ECFN is committed to focusing its resources on helping these families see the possibility of a different future for themselves and their children…a future that allows them to reach their potential and participate fully in the abundance that our community has to offer.
History of ECFN
In 2009, the Boys & Girls Club located in the Old Village of Mt. Pleasant was struggling to keep its doors open. For many of the children living in the public housing projects nearby, the club was their only recreational outlet. Several area churches joined forces to help keep the program operational. Recognizing the potential in the combined resources and talents of churches working together, the members of the various churches sought to form an alliance. These early discussions led to the formation of East Cooper Faith Network (ECFN) and also raised questions about other unmet needs in the community.
ECFN members consulted with East Cooper Community Outreach, and participated in several community forums that gave voice to the concerns of low-income residents. These discussions along with a community survey identified disparities in educational outcomes as a key concern. In response, and with the involvement of residents, experts from mentoring organizations and school administrators, ECFN launched I-Beam, its first community initiative.
