Wake Up Carolina
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
TO PROVIDE SUPPORT FOR ALL INDIVIDUALS AFFECTED BY SUBSTANCE MISUSE IN THE GREATER CHARLESTON AREA
- Income
- $970,311
- Spending
- $964,252
- Spent on programs
- 92%
- Reserves
- 5 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- government grants, 66%
- Employees
- 9
- Volunteers
- 700
- Highest pay
- $110,000, berkeley county and development director
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Good: 82 out of 100. Higher than 67% of charities in its peer group (mental health, $250k to $1m).
Reserves
20 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 5.0 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 0% of what it owns.
Living within its means
12 of 15Income exceeded spending by 1% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 15% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1592% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Good: 83 out of 100. Higher than 67% of charities in its peer group (mental health, $250k to $1m).
Independent board
25 of 256 of 6 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
0 of 8Reports no written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
7 of 7Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
10 of 10Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
Independent check of accounts
6 of 15Its accounts were not audited or reviewed by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Impact evidence
Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.
Programs described in its return (5)
- $388,510 spent. RECOVERY PROGRAM: WAKEUP CAROLINAS RECOVERY PROGRAM: 335 INDIVIDUAL RECOVERY COACHING SESSIONS; 270 GENERAL RECOVERY GROUP SESSIONS FACILITATED WITH WUC STAFF WITH 3,314 INDIVIDUALS ATTENDING; 188 FAMILY ORIENTED RECOVERY GROUPS FACILITATED BY WUC STAFF WITH 1,860 FAMILY MEMBERS ATTENDING; 508 FAMILY RECOVERY COACHING SESSIONS; 838 INDIVIDUALS REFERRED TO RECOVERY HOUSING, TREATMENT AND SUPPORT.
- $211,585 spent. HARM REDUCTION: WAKEUP CAROLINAS HARM REDUCTION PROGRAM DISTRIBUTED 1,453 NARCAN KITS AND TRAINED 1,229 PEOPLE IN OVERDOSE PREVENTION AND NARCAN; DISTRIBUTED 6,282 FENTANYL TESTING STRIPS; DISTRIBUTED 2,054 XYLAZINE TESTING STRIPS; HELD 95 TRAININGS; TESTED 384 INDIVIDUALS FOR HIV AND 120 FOR HCV RESPECTIVELY. WUC IS ONLY 1 OF 5 RECOVERY COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS IN SC TO BE ABLE TO ADMINISTER THIS TESTING.
- $173,418 spent. EDUCATION AWARENESS: 1,820,126 UNDUPLICATED COMMUNITY MEMBERS SERVED; 1,033,892 COMMUNITY MEMBERS ENGAGED IN 240 GENERAL EDUCATION AND AWARENESS EVENTS THROUGH WUC OPEN HOUSES, TOWN HALLS, SPORTS TOURNAMENTS AND AREA SCHOOLS.
- $113,801 spent. WAKE UP CAROLINA OFFERS ASSISTANCE TO AFFECTED INDIVIDUALS AND THEIR FAMILIES BY PROVIDING A SAFE SPACE, PEER-SUPPORT, COACHING, TRAINING, TESTING STRIPS, AND WEEKLY MEETINGS THAT AIM TO BRING AWARENESS, EDUCATION, AND HOPE TO THOSE AFFECTED. THESE PROGRAMS INCLUDE DAD2DAD, MOTHERS GATHERING, CREIGHTONS HOUSE, CREIGHTONS NIGHT OUT, SIBLING SUPPORT, HEALING HEARTS, SMART RECOVERY, AND SERVING THOSE WHO SERVED.
- WAKE UP CAROLINA OFFERS ASSISTANCE TO AFFECTED INDIVIDUALS 113801. 0. 0.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.
Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.
Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.
Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.
On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.
Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending December 2024.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since January 2017.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.
Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.
Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 21, 2026.
Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.