Fred's Story: Just one year ago, he didn't have a place to sleep.

Fred walked into Friendship Place exhausted, hungry, and without a safe place to sleep.

His life up to that point had been marked by instability. Fred grew up in the foster care system, where consistency and support were hard to come by. As a young man, he was introduced to drugs at an early age and eventually spent nine years incarcerated. When he was released, he came to Georgetown trying to start over without family nearby, without resources, and without a place to call home.

When Fred arrived at Friendship Place, he wasn’t looking for a handout, but for help, for direction, and for someone willing to see him as more than his past. What he found instead was friendship.

Filling the Gaps Along the Way

At Friendship Place, Fred was met where he was. In his earliest days with us, that meant meeting his most immediate needs like hot meals when he was hungry, hygiene supplies and clothing when he had nothing, and a safe motel stay when sleeping outside was his only option.

But our friendship doesn’t stop at crisis response.

As trust grew, our team walked alongside Fred to help him take his next steps forward. When stable housing felt out of reach, we worked together to help him secure his first apartment. When he needed reliable food access, our kitchen and pantry were there. When Fred decided he wanted more for his future, we helped him begin taking college courses at Horry-Georgetown Technical College.

Going to college was a major milestone, but it also came with new challenges. Tuition is one thing; sustaining yourself while enrolled is another. Through the support of donors and volunteers, Fred received a laptop for school, assistance toward earning his ServSafe food handler certification, and a DMV handbook to begin studying for his first driver’s license. These may seem like small things on their own, but together, they filled critical gaps that made progress possible.

This is what it means to walk alongside someone.

A Full-Circle Moment

Today, Fred’s story continues and it has come full circle. Not only is he housed, working, and moving forward with purpose, Fred now volunteers at Friendship Place. He shows up early, eager to help serve meals and support the same community that once carried him through his hardest season.

Fred’s journey is a powerful reminder that transformation doesn’t happen overnight and it doesn’t happen alone. It happens when someone shows up consistently, with compassion, dignity, and belief in what’s possible.

Friendship in Action

Fred’s story is not unique, but it is extraordinary. It represents what can happen when friendship meets real need, and when a community chooses to say “yes” instead of letting someone fall through the cracks.

At Friendship Place, we believe lives change when friendship shows up. Because of faithful supporters, volunteers, and partners, we are able to fill gaps, open doors, and walk with neighbors from crisis to possibility.

And sometimes, those steps lead right back to the place where it all began.

You can be the friend someone in our community is praying for. Learn more about how your support can help a neighbor find stability and hope.