Charleston shootings: How you can help

For those who want to help the families or the church in the wake of the Emanuel AME Church shooting, the city of Charleston asks to give in one of two ways:

Charleston’s fund will provide direct financial support for the funeral and burial expenses of the nine victims. Any funds remaining after the funeral and burial expenses are paid will be donated directly to the church for use as determined by its governance board. Donations to this fund are not tax-deductible. These denotations can be made in one of three ways:

1. Send a check to Mother Emanuel Hope Fund, c/o City of Charleston, P.O. Box 304, Charleston, SC 29402

2. Stop by any Wells Fargo Bank nationwide and making a donation to the fund.

3. Text “prayforcharleston” to (843) 606-5995 or go to bidr.co/prayforcharleston.

This fund will be administered by the Palmetto Project, a nonprofit dedicated to improving the lives of South Carolinians). All of the funds donated will be used in this community to support local initiatives serving his home church, vulnerable populations and youth projects that the Rev. Clementa Pinckney was passionate about. Decisions on the use of these funds will be made by a task force made up of a member or members of Pinckney’s family, colleagues, representatives from Emanuel AME Church and other members of the community selected for their specific expertise. These donations will be tax deductible. Donations can be made by:

1. Send a check to Lowcountry Ministries – Reverend Pinckney Fund, c/o The Palmetto Project, 6296 Rivers Ave. #100, North Charleston, SC 29406

2. Donate online at palmettoproject.org

Charleston Southern University is establishing a fund in memory of Sharonda Coleman-Singleton, the mother of Chris Singleton, a baseball player there.

Chris Singleton is a rising sophomore at Charleston Southern. The fund will be used to meet his educational expenses, and he has said that any remaining funds be applied to the planned CSU baseball enrichment center in memory of his mother. How to contribute:

▪ Send a check to Charleston Southern University Advancement Office, P.O. Box 118087, Charleston, SC 29423. Put “Singleton Memorial Fund” in the memo line.

▪ Donate online at http://www.csuniv.edu/

If you’re heading to Charleston, watch for businesses and restaurants that may have ongoing drives to raise money for victims’ families.

Among one of the more interesting events is one reported by the Post and Courier, “A Community United.”

The event, set for July 9, is being organized by Charleston Grill general manager Mickey Bakst. It will include dozens of Charleston area chefs, wine distributors and other local food-and-beverage professionals. One-thousand tickets will be sold, at $200 each, and there will be a silent auction – launching online July 3 and continuing at the event – that includes high-end trips, spa treatments, artwork, jewelry and more, according to the Post and Courier.

The event will be from 6:30-9:30 p.m. at Charleston Place, in the heart of downtown. Other details or to purchase tickets: bidr.co/events/acommunityunited.

This story was originally published June 25, 2015 at 8:53 PM with the headline "Charleston shootings: How you can help."