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Our approach
RESTORING HOPE AND OPPORTUNITY TO THRIVE AND SUCCEED…
Our unique approach to DISMANTLING the Opportunity gap
THE PROBLEM
Racial and economic inequities exist more predominantly for African American youth in our community.
* Only 10% of Charleston County School District’s African American students are prepared for college.
* African American youth start High School unprepared - only 8% passed SC math and 22% passed their reading tests in 8th grade.
THE MODEL
Through our combination of in-school and summer programming, we have created a model that opens doors for our students restoring confidence and hope for a bright future.
Our Programming is rooted in authentic mentorship, social-emotional learning and mobilized through student-driven design and implementation of social impact projects.
THE KEYS TO SUCCESS
For every 1 student in a program, 2 who would participate are WAITING.
We are seeing lives transformed, students set up for success & upward mobility. Our students know their potential, empathize, take responsibility, and show strong social-emotional skills.
who we are and what we do at Doors to dream
How will you join us to see these youth reach their full potential?
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We Open Doors, We Give Hope, We Share Love, We Transform Lives
All of us have DREAMS, but students living in poverty often lose motivation and hope for a better future and limits upward mobility
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Recent news
When our students think about the blueprint of their lives, we want them to see what they contribute and not feel defined by what they lack. With the support of our community near and far we are transforming lives and setting kids on paths towards success. We invite you to be a part of our adventure. Hear from our students and our founders to understand more about our journey thus far…




















Our Response to the anti-racism movement & possible Next Steps
-Carey Dunn, Co-Founder
Austin Channing Brown says in her book ‘I’m still here: Black Dignity in a World Made for Whiteness’: “Racial Reconciliation is the pursuit of the impossible - an upside-down world where those who are powerful have relinquished that power to the margins.” In my dialogue with a local leader, we talked about upward mobility and the limited options black students feel – either from lack of exposure or lack of confidence.
Doors to Dream is on a mission to empower these students to not only see more options, but also to see their potential to effectuate change in their own lives and in the world around them. We want to see students rise out of poverty and become leaders in Charleston and beyond. Our programming creates new opportunities for students in school, after-school, and in the community. We focus on teaching leadership skills and the importance of helping and serving others, emboldening our students to not just passively observe the problems around them, but instead be impassioned to take action. We want our students to see open doors and the paths to their success and upward mobility to be innumerable. Our goal is to see everyone cross that finish line having successfully pursued their own personal dreams.
What would our world look like if this really happened?
Our Supporters