J.K. Rowling’s charitable organization founded in 2005 is Lumos.
Lumos was originally established as the Children’s High Level Group. Rowling became involved after reading a newspaper article about children in institutions and helped launch the organization with politician Emma Nicholson. The charity was renamed Lumos in 2010, taking its name from a light-producing spell in the Harry Potter books.
Lumos works to end the institutionalization of children and promote family-based care. Its work has included advocacy, research and programs intended to help children move from orphanages and large institutions into family or community settings.
Lumos is distinct from Rowling’s other philanthropic activities, including donations connected with multiple sclerosis research and the Volant Charitable Trust. The name is sometimes mistaken for a fictional organization, but Lumos is a real charity inspired by the books’ imagery of light.