Sonia Hanson Leads with Heart, Hope and Greater Purpose

You’d be hard pressed to find someone in the Greater Charleston area who hasn’t been impacted by Sonia Hanson.
 
With a passion that matches her bubbly smile, Hanson is a force for good. Groceries, rent money, new coats, fresh vegetables, compassion and kindness – the Magwood Drive branch manager has touched the lives of hundreds with vital resources and human connection.

In spring 2026, SouthState team members voted Hanson the first recipient of the Greater Purpose Award, honoring the teammate who best reflects one of the company’s core values: pursuing purpose through faith, family and service to others.

“Sonia lives, eats, sleeps and breathes helping others. I believe she even dreams about helping others,” says Betty Jo Sneed, regional area manager for Charleston and Hanson’s supervisor.

Ever humble, Hanson is quick to say she doesn’t do it alone. A dedicated team of volunteers helps distribute healthy food to veterans, while SouthState team members, especially her Magwood branch, regularly support her mission by donating clothing through her coat, shoe and sock drives.

“Of course I’m honored to receive this award, but it’s about the work first,” Hanson says. “I want to go beyond words and put my appreciation into action.”


 

Rooted in Service

Service seems to come naturally to Hanson, and it’s no surprise when she talks about who raised her.

Her grandmother had an open-door policy for the neighborhood children who needed a hearty snack or a hug. She didn’t see helping others as an inconvenience and taught her grandchildren by example – even if they were already asleep.

“If she found out about a need, she would get up in the middle of the night, load us up in the car and take us with her to drop off food,” Hanson recalls.

Christening her “a giver and a heart person,” Hanson accessorizes with pearls each day in her grandmother’s honor.

“It’s really my ‘Granny Cakes’ who should be getting this award,” she adds.
 
Combined with examples of service from her parents, Hanson’s family laid the foundation of caring for your neighbor. Going through a period of tight finances as a young parent further cemented Hanson’s desire to give back what she can.

“People ask me all the time ‘how do you do it?’ as if I'm some superhero. But I’m not,” she says. “But I do know what it feels like to not be able to feed my babies and what it feels like to do a cash advance every single week and not have enough.”

One of Hanson’s most successful ventures is an annual coat drive, which has provided more than 3,000 new coats for children. Like most of Hanson’s projects, the drive was inspired by her own experience and desire to meet a tangible need.

“I couldn't afford a new coat for my kids years ago. A woman behind me in line at Goodwill paid it forward, and she paid for the coats for my kids. I will never forget that,” Hanson says.

Seeds of Hope

Hanson has taken her turn to “pay it forward” countless times over. Her ability to empathize with a father struggling to pay rent after losing his job, a mother needing to purchase groceries before her paycheck arrives or the unhoused veteran sitting alone in the public park fuels her to meet the needs around her.

“I know my greater purpose in life is to take action,” she says. “Greater purpose is putting forth more than what is expected. It is giving more of ourselves to see someone else in a better space.”

Hanson seeks to deliver more than just the essentials. Wrapped up in each food bag, warm coat, hygiene supply pack and hot meal are hope and connection from a fellow human being.

“We want to make sure each person we encounter knows there’s hope,” Hanson says. “I remind my volunteers to give dignity through conversation. We make sure they know our names, and we learn their names, too.”

Hanson is known across Charleston as the Sunflower Lady because of her sunny disposition and the sunflowers she wears and distributes. The flowers became her talisman of joy during a time of need, and she now spreads their message through bracelets and her nonprofit, Sunflowers of HOPE.

Some beneficiaries return to say thank you with small tokens of appreciation or paying it forward themselves. One woman who receives food from a senior citizen meal program recently brought Hanson sunflower-themed gifts bought with her own money, adding to a growing collection of floral trinkets and tokens filling Hanson’s office.

“She needed to make an impact in my life just the way that she could. She wanted to let me know she appreciated what we’ve done for her,” Hanson recalls.

It’s also not uncommon for Hanson to receive a text or call from someone she helped years ago. She never passes judgement on those she encounters but seeks to build trust and offer guidance.

Hanson tells the story of a young woman she met while ministering to a group of unhoused people in North Charleston. She offered her phone number and kept in touch with the woman. A few years later, Hanson got the update she prayed for.

“She told me she was living in another state, was doing much better, had gotten clean and had a little one now,” Hanson says. “And she still had the sunflower bracelet we give out to remind people someone cares about them. She told me she was going to pass it on to give someone else hope.”
 

Blossoming at SouthState

As a child, Hanson joined her family in giving back, but her first time volunteering as an adult was during her first month at SouthState. She was thrilled to find out she could join a volunteer opportunity even though she had just started the job.

“It really left a mark on my life because I realized that I was working for a company that actually cared about people. Fast forward to now, I still feel that in every single way,” she says.

In the 19 years since, Hanson has recruited many SouthState team members to support her volunteer efforts, including her boss, Betty Jo. Sneed describes her first impression of Hanson as a bright light that immediately captivated her.

“You can see her heart on the outside, and she leads with the best of intentions,” she adds.

Hanson is grateful Sneed and other area managers will answer her emails – always written in large, brightly-colored fonts – when she’s recruiting donations or volunteers. She praises the leadership in South Carolina, including Group President Bill Medich, Division President Thomas Anderson, Community Development Group Manager Edward McKelvey, Head of Bank Operations Robb Byrd, Administrative Coordinator Elizabeth Hughes, the team at the Charleston Support Center, and other Charleston Community Champions for their support.

“She doesn’t let you say ‘no’ if it’s important to her,” Sneed adds.

A few years ago, Hanson found a counterpart also doing great work in Charleston in Sylvia Evans, executive director of Soul Harvesters Outreach. Evans calls their partnership a “sisterhood” as they work together with other area organizations to make an impact on families.

As part of the Greater Purpose Award, Hanson was awarded $10,000 from SouthState to donate to a nonprofit of her choice. Evans was humbled to be selected for the funding.

“She could have picked a larger organization, but she’s there with us in the trenches. She sees the value in our work,” Evans adds.
 
The funding will support the ongoing work of Soul Harvesters, specifically a transitional housing program.

“Our goal is to help our families move from striving families to thriving families,” Evans says.

Much like Evans, Hanson fields a steady stream of requests for assistance. Her phone beeps with messages all day long as she works to connect people to resources or personally meets their immediate needs.

It may feel impossible to make an impact like Hanson, but she simply asks each person to find their “greater purpose” and allow the collective good to create change. 

“I don't need you all to be saviors. I need you to figure out the one really impactful thing that you can do,” Hanson says. “Whatever that one thing is, make that happen, be deliberate and consistent about it.”

Hanson credits her family’s support, specifically her husband Kirk and her children, for enabling her to dedicate so many hours to meeting the needs of others.
 
Though she admits she gets tired after a long day at her branch followed by an evening of passing out food or meeting with community leaders, Hanson still has her eyes on the horizon. She dreams of opening a mobile food pantry for senior citizens and creating safer housing for young mothers.

Sneed believes if anyone can get it done, it’s Hanson.

“If you know Sonia, you know she’s just getting started,” she says.

Learn more about SouthState’s core values and volunteer efforts.