Mission
The Roper St. Francis Foundation’s mission is to identify, secure and manage philanthropic resources to support facility projects and healthcare services of Roper St. Francis Healthcare.
History
Roper St. Francis Healthcare’s history is steeped in philanthropy.
Roper St. Francis Healthcare began with a philanthropic gift in 1829, when Colonel Thomas Roper left a bequest to build a hospital in Charleston that would treat all people. The first community hospital in South Carolina, Roper Hospital, was built in 1850.
Bon Secours St. Francis Hospital opened its doors in 1882 as St. Francis Xavier Infirmary, the first Catholic hospital in South Carolina. It was one of many gifts from the Sisters of Charity of Our Lady of Mercy to Charleston.
In 1998, Roper and Bon Secours St. Francis Hospitals combined their resources to form the integrated system known today as Roper St. Francis Healthcare. Roper St. Francis Mount Pleasant Hospital opened its doors in 2010, with community funding enhancing many parts of the hospital.
In October 2019, Roper St. Francis Berkeley Hospital opened to patients in Carnes Crossroads and the surrounding communities. The new hospital is the culmination of more than a decade of work to bring to Berkeley County something absent for more than 40 years – a hospital close to home.
The Roper St. Francis Foundation Today
The Roper St. Francis Foundation transitioned from a grant-making organization to a full-service development office for Roper St. Francis Healthcare in 2005. The Foundation solicits gifts and grants from individuals, corporations, foundations and government agencies to support our initiatives.