The charity co-founded by J.K. Rowling to help institutionalized children is Lumos.
Rowling helped establish the charity in 2005 after a newspaper article about children living in institutions drew her attention to the issue. It was originally called the Children’s High Level Group and later became Lumos, a name inspired by the light-producing spell in the Harry Potter books.
Lumos works to end the institutionalization of children and promote family-based care and community support. Its work has included advocacy, research, and projects intended to help governments replace large residential institutions with safer systems for children and families.
Lumos is not a general book charity and is distinct from Comic Relief, Shelter, and Book Aid International. The organization’s name is a reference to Rowling’s fiction, but its programs address real-world child welfare. Rowling has also supported other charitable causes, including multiple sclerosis research and anti-poverty initiatives.