Dear Charleston Forum
A Community Conversation About Poverty, Homelessness, and What Comes Next
Star Gospel Mission is excited to host the inaugural Dear Charleston Forum, a community conversation focused on understanding poverty and homelessness and exploring meaningful solutions for our community.
On Monday, October 5, 2026, from 8:30 a.m. to 12:00 noon, community leaders, educators, service providers, faith leaders, business professionals, and others who care deeply about the well-being of our neighbors will gather in the Gold Ballroom at The Francis Marion Hotel.
This Forum is an opportunity to bring people together who are not only talking about the challenges facing our community, but are actively working to address them. Through shared perspectives and meaningful conversation, we hope to better understand the complex realities of poverty and homelessness and consider how we can work together toward lasting solutions.
Keynote Speakers
Anita Huggins
Superintendent of Schools, Charleston County School District
DJ Hampton II
President & CEO, Trident United Way
Three Conversations. One Community.
Moderated by Mel Orlins, ABC News 4 anchor, the Forum will feature three conversations exploring some of the factors that shape stability and opportunity in our community:
Education, Children & Family Stability
Government & Social Services
The Role of Faith Communities
Star Gospel Mission Executive Director Rev. Dr. Marion Platt will also speak, and Program Officer Dr. Angela Washington will participate as a panelist.
Together, these conversations will invite us to look at homelessness through educational, civic, professional, and faith-informed perspectives. More importantly, the Forum is designed to move the conversation beyond simply understanding the problem toward asking an important question: What can we do together?
A Special Week for Charleston
The Dear Charleston Forum will begin a special week of events surrounding World Homeless Day, bringing our community together through several opportunities to learn, listen, connect, and take action.
The week will continue with Conversations on a Bench: A Portrait of Charleston on October 8, a 24-hour community conversation and livestream exploring the people and stories that make up our city.
The week will culminate with the Star Gospel Mission Gala on October 10 at the Gaillard Center, bringing our community together to celebrate the work and look toward the future.
We are grateful to our generous Presenting Sponsor, Southern First Bank, and to The Francis Marion Hotel for helping make the Dear Charleston Forum possible and allowing us to offer this important gathering at no cost to attendees.
We hope you will join us at the table, bring your perspective, listen to others, and be part of a conversation that asks what is possible when Charleston comes together.
Dear Charleston Forum
Monday, October 5, 2026
8:30 a.m. to 12:00 noon
Gold Ballroom, The Francis Marion Hotel
REGISTER HERE
Admission is free. Space is first come, first served, and you must register. Your reservation includes breakfast, coffee, and refreshments.
If you have any questions, please contact Rochelle Platter at: rochelle@stargospelmission.org.
Thank you to our generous sponsor, Southern First Bank.