From a system that failed him, to 9 years in prison, to homelessness, to college Fred is rewriting his life. His comeback is proof of what your giving makes possible in Georgetown.
Fred came to Friendship Place hungry, frustrated, and completely alone in a town where he knew no one. After a childhood spent moving through the foster care system and nine years in prison, life had taught Fred to survive quietly, unseen, and without support. After his release, survival turned into homelessness, living in an abandoned house without heat, lights, or running water. When he was discovered, he lost the little he had left.
But here’s what Fred found instead: FRIENDS.
Because of donors like you, Friendship Place stepped in, placing Fred in a motel, feeding him hot meals, providing hygiene supplies, clothing, housing tools, and encouragement when he needed it most. Over the months that followed, his story didn’t just improve; it transformed.
- With our community's support, he secured an apartment.
- With volunteer mentorship, he found steady work.
- With meal assistance, he kept food on the table.
And because Friends like you cared enough to invest in him, Fred enrolled in college at Horry-Georgetown Technical College.
Your giving equipped his journey with:
- A computer for school
- ServSafe food certification support
- A DMV handbook to begin studying for his first driver’s license
- Spiritual encouragement and Biblical guidance when things felt overwhelming
Then came the moment we call full circle. Fred now volunteers at Friendship Place, showing up early, eager to serve the same community that once helped him stand again. This is the power of second chances. This is the power of friendship.
This is the power of friends who refuse to let neighbors fall through the cracks.
...but here is the truth:
- More than 80% of our funding comes from donors just like you...friends who give, not because it’s easy, but because someone needs them.
- We are over the operating budget because needs are constantly changing and increasing for our neighbors
We never want to encounter a neighbor who we must turn around. We must keep saying yes.
No neighbor rebuilding from crisis should ever hear no because resources ran out...especially when we have a community of Christ-hearted friends like you.
Be the friend someone is praying for right now. Your gift can carry another neighbor from crisis to possibility just like Fred.