African American Leadership Council

African American Leadership Council is a network of engaged African American and minority leaders who seek to harness their power and philanthropy to create bold community change. We leverage resources to advance education, financial stability and health throughout the Tri-County region.


 AALC Eighth Annual Book Drive 

Flyer for book drive with photos of young children smiling holding books.

Donate books from March 15- May 1!

Trident United Way African American Leadership Council is hosting the Eighth Annual Book Drive to benefit Title I Schools in the Tri-County area! Help them reach their goal of providing 3,000 books to students in grades K-3rd at E.B. Ellington Elementary, Harleyville Elementary and St. Stephens Elementary. Books provided to students to read when they are out of the classroom will help prevent the "summer slump" and ensure students will continue on their path to literacy. 

Books can be purchased through the Amazon wishlist link below, and shipped directly to the Trident United Way office! New or gently used books may also be dropped off at the following locations:

Trident United Way - 6296 Rivers Avenue Suite 200, North Charleston 29406

Ingevity Headquarters - 4920 O'Hear Avenue, North Charleston, 29405

For questions, please contact Mike Gibbons at mgibbons@tuw.org.


AALC Winter Coat Drive 2022

Flyer promoting the AALC Winter Coat Drive 2022

The Trident United Way African American Leadership Council Coat Drive exceeded their goal of 97 coats, receiving a total of 107!

Donated coats were sorted and packed by members of the AALC Steering Committee and TUW staff, and delivered by the AALC Steering Committee to Harleyville Elementary School on Monday, where parents arrived in the morning to collect coats for their children.

Thank you to everyone who donated - your efforts are helping to keep children warm and safe this winter!

Three members of the AALC holding up donated coats in front of a Trident United Way logo Photo of woman at Harleyville Elementary School looking through donated coats Five members of the AALC pose in Harleyville Elementary School class room in back of piles of donated coats


AALC Lunch & Learn: A Conversation on Housing Attainability & Retention

Invitation to the AALC lunch and learn held October 27, 2022

Trident United Way African American Leadership Council hosted a Lunch & Learn on October 27, 2022 at the Trident United Way offices in North Charleston. The conversation focused on housing attainability and retention in the Tri-County area and the impact this is having on our community. Attendees heard from speakers Bill Stanfield (CEO of Metanoia), Craig Logan (Housing Executive Fellow, Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce) and Esther Adams (Manager of Strategic Initiatives, Center for Heirs' Property Preservation) with the opportunity to ask speakers questions.

Thank to you all of the attendees and speakers for participating in the Lunch & Learn and providing an incredibly insightful discussion!

Bill Standfield from Metanoia speaking during AALC Lunch and Learn  Craig Logan, Housing Executive Fellow for Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce speaks at the AALC Lunch and Learn  Esther Adams from the Center for Heirs Property speaking at the AALC Lunch and Learn  ​​​​

Watch the full discussion

View photos from the event here


AALC Seventh Annual Book Drive

Flyer for the AALC 7th Annual Book Drive

A huge thank you to everyone who donated books to the Trident United Way African American Leadership Council Seventh Annual Book Drive! The AALC collected 3,031 books to distribute this year, well exceeding the goal of 2,800. Books were distributed to 728 students in grades CD-3rd at EB Ellington Elementary, North Charleston Elementary and St. Stephens Elementary. These books will help students from low income areas build their home library and encourage summer reading to prevent the summer slide.

Over the past seven years, AALC has collected 10,478 books for students across the Tri-County community!

Monifa Ellington holding donated books  Sonia Hanson and principal with bags of donated books  Student in Title 1 School in North Charleston looking through donated books


2022 AALC Member Celebration

Trident United Way African American Leadership Council hosted its 2022 Member Celebration at Halls Signature Event Space on Wednesday, May 11, 2022. The event honored two community leaders and celebrated the seventh year of the AALC and their annual book drive. Raphael James, Anchor at WCSC Live 5 News, served as Master of Ceremonies for the event.

2022 Member Celebration Award Recipients

Community Leader - Don Smith, Hendrick Automotive Group

Philanthropist of the Year - Sonia Hanson, SouthState Bank

Chloe Tonney, Don Smith, Sonia Hanson and Stephanie Pope Singleton at AALC 2022 Member Celebration


AALC Lunch & Learn: Brown Bag Edition

2021 AALC Lunch and Learn invitation

Thank you to everyone who attended the Trident United Way African American Leadership Council Lunch & Learn: Brown Bag Edition conversation on Heart Disease in the African American Community. Dr. Marvella Ford lead the discussion, exploring why these disparities exist and what we are doing about it.


Our Vision:

• We work to solve pressing community issues through Trident United Way’s education, financial stability and health programs.
• We support Trident United Way with our time, talent and treasure, using our experiences and our voices to make a difference for our neighbors.
• Network and inform: We share data about community conditions to increase our knowledge — strengthening our collective ability to create change.

Trident United Way African American Leadership Council consists of African American philanthropists who contribute $1,000 or more to Trident United Way. Members have unique opportunities to see the impact that their financial support and volunteerism have on community issues.

AALC Step-Up Program

For those individuals not quite ready to invest in Trident United Way at the $1,000 level, the AALC Step-Up program allows donors to gradually increase their gift over a period of three years. Step-Up members will make a commitment to increase their Trident United Way gift, giving at least $500 in year one, $750 in year two and $1,000 in year three. Step-Up members are recognized as full AALC members and have access to all AALC benefits.


Stephanie Pope Singleton and Sonia Hanson volunteer at Keep North Charleston Beautiful  Members of the AALC pose at the 2022 Member Celebration  Don Smith holding bags of donated books at Trident United Way office

Steering Committee 2022-2023

Monifa Ellington, Chair, Ingevity

Tamkio Bligen, Vice Chair, Ingevity

Jennifer Brown, Palmetto Community Action Partnership

Sonia Hanson, South State Bank

Ruhamah Dunmeyer Grooms

B. Shawan Gilians, Womble Bond Dickson

La Quetta Coulter , SelectHealth of South Carolina

Patrice Simmons, Palmetto Community Action Partnership

For more information, or to join Trident United Way African American Leadership Council, contact Mike Gibbons at (843) 740-7739 or mgibbons@tuw.org.

Join the African American Leadership Council