Annual Report Fiscal Year 2020

July 1, 2019 – June 30, 2020

New Directions of Horry County

732 8th Ave N.

Myrtle Beach, SC 29577

(843) 945-4902

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Mission Statement Fiscal Years 2017 - 2020

Within this Annual Report, you will find the story of the collaborative effort to end

homelessness in Horry County, SC as took place during New Directions’ 7th year of

operation, Fiscal Year 2020. Since 2013, New Directions has led the effort to end

homelessness as the primary provider of shelter services for Horry County.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

From the Desk of Kathy Jenkins | Page 4

2020 State of Homelessness | Page 5

2019 – 2020 Highlights | Page 6

Impact Report | Page 8

Client Voices – Stories of Change from Men, Women, and Families | Page 10

COVID-19 Challenges and Response | Page 12

Expansion of Our Mission & Services | Page 14

Financials | Page 15

Our Supporters | Page 16

Volunteers | Page 19

Partner Agencies | Page 21

What We Do | Page 22

What You Can Do to Help | Page 23

Our Mission is to provide those in need with shelter, basic necessities, and connections to resources, empowering them to rest, regroup, rediscover hope, and open doors, changing

themselves and their community.

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From The Desk of Kathy Jenkins

Dear Friends,

This past year, with the commitment and compassion of our partner agencies, our financial supporters, our volunteers, and our staff we continued to serve our clients and help them move forward. With your help, we provided:

• Nearly 53,000 safe nights off the streets for 861 homeless men, women, families with children, and veterans • Over 55,000 meals for anyone in the community who was hungry • Permanent positive solutions for 143 men, 121 women, and 53 children • Connections to Long-term recovery programs for 131 men and women

This past fiscal year was one of hope for a long-awaited, and greatly needed, expansion. Plans were drawn and bids were submitted to add 74 beds to the 2nd floor of the men’s shelter. We purchased the adjacent lot to build a larger women’s shelter and administrative offices on the extended property.

We grew our partnerships to include over 90 organizations. In partnership with the Municipal Court, we started Homeless Court in the shelter. In partnership with CCU Sociology, we expanded our Rolling Forward bike program to the women’s shelter. With the help of The Center for Counseling and Wellness, we began providing counseling services on New Directions premises.

Little did we know what challenges the year 2020 would present for our nation! Challenges for us at New Directions included:

• Keeping our clients and staff safe in a close living quarters environment. • Continuing to provide meals, shelter, safety, and hope with less funding and fewer volunteers. • Keeping our clients encouraged with their progress toward independent living on hold from job loss and closures. • Ensuring that 21 Horry County students representing 10 schools and 10 grades could participate in virtual learning

under one roof.

2020 hasn’t been easy. We adjusted our processes and made some hard decisions. We postponed our fundraiser and put a greatly needed expansion on hold.

For the coming year we anticipate a greater need for our services as this pandemic continues to unfold and as eviction moratoriums are lifted. To that end, we are moving forward in 2021 to realize our expansion plans. Additionally, we have expanded our Addiction & Recovery Outreach Initiative with a 2-year grant from the City of Myrtle Beach to focus on another epidemic continuing to plague our community – opioid addiction.

We know our plans are attainable if we do this together. Will you join us?

Sincerely,

Kathy Jenkins

Executive Director

A Special Thanks to Our Board of Directors and Staff for Their Efforts in FY 2020 Board of Directors

Martha Sledge, Chairman | Pat Siniscalchi, Vice Chair | Thomas Hudgins, Treasurer | Jesse Lifton, Secretary

Mary Jo Rogers | Charlie Jordan | Liz Callaway | Frank Hereda | Valeska Marques | Zeb Thomas | Andrew Schwartz

Trevor Greene | Suncera Johnson | Greg Thompson | Alison Van Wagner | Kerry Jardine

Executive Staff

Kathy Jenkins, Executive Director

Brenda Ryan, Operations Director

Grace Sandoz, Program Director

William Howsare, Peer Support Program Director

Cathy Chaplin, Finance Director

Elizabeth Schlueter, Development Director

Men’s Shelter Staff

Dana Lidard

Aubree Betterini

Mike Janczak

Rory Pender

Scott Maynard

Dan LeMasters

Women’s Shelter Staff

JoAnn Putnam

Linda Keevan

Family Shelter Staff

Danielle Walters

Ellen Platt

Robert Platt

Peer Support Staff

Lee Carpenter

Jonathan Myers

Administrative Office Staff

Joyce Bowling

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New Directions’ State of Homelessness Report

In 2019, 1 in 3 Americans were a single paycheck away from becoming homeless. The difficulty and uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic only exacerbates this situation and in 2020-2021 we anticipate that more people will become homeless as a result. During the first 8 weeks under the national state of emergency declaration, approximately 36 million Americans lost their jobs.1 Although it is currently unknown how many became homeless as a result, having been a leader in the collaborative effort to end homelessness in Horry County, we have heard the stories of many who became homeless or encountered hardships due to the economic impacts of the Coronavirus. The moratorium on evictions, homeless prevention funds, and unemployment benefits, have temporarily lessened the impact of COVID-19, to be felt throughout the latter half of 2020 and in 2021.

This reality is only further corroborated by state and county statistics on homelessness. According to the 2019 South Carolina State of Homelessness Report PIT Count, Horry County has the “highest rate of persons experiencing homelessness in the state”, including 600 unsheltered homeless individuals. Horry County is ranked second with regard to the total number of homeless individuals reported by county, with 796 total homeless between sheltered and unsheltered individuals. New Directions serves 92% of the 196 sheltered homeless population in Horry County but with 600 homeless individuals still without shelter, the need for our services is vast. Horry County homeless account for 69% of all homeless in the 13-county Continuum of Care and Horry is ranked the highest in the rate of persons experiencing homelessness at 257 persons per 100,000.2

Our role in working to end the homeless crisis is by meeting the most immediate needs of emergency shelter, food security, basic needs, and serving as the link between the unsheltered and the permanently housed. We shelter more than 50% of all sheltered homeless across our 13-county Continuum of Care and coordinate the effort among resource providers to find permanent, positive solutions for men, women, families with children, and veterans, by empowering them to overcome barriers and secure housing as quickly as possible, reducing the time spent homeless.

Though our programs have been very successful (providing over 423,768 nights of the street, serving 6,867 individuals and helping 2,969 secure positive solutions to homelessness since our founding) it is not for everyone. In Fiscal Year 2020, out of the 861 individuals we served, 162 exited our program as a negative outcome, meaning they were unable to secure a positive solution to homelessness, poverty or addiction. Negative exits occur when a client leaves the shelter or disappears, or in rare cases, is asked to leave due to breaking shelter rules (such as the violation of rules that ensure their safety or being abusive towards staff or other clients). In addition, homeless who are shelter-averse, or chronically homeless, have difficulty staying in a community living environment, causing them to “negatively” exit our program.

For those who do complete a program, sometimes the outcomes don’t always “stick”. Between 10-15% of those we serve in a given year have been with us previously. Unfortunately, there is still a long-standing gap between income and living expenses causing many to become homeless or be at greater risk of homelessness. For an adult client to be “self-sufficient” in Horry County they must earn at least $25,455 per year, or $12.23 per hour based on full-time employment year-round. A family of one adult, one child, must earn $42,848 per year ($20.60 per hour) to be self-sufficient and families of one adult and two children must earn $49,791 ($23.93 per hour). A family of two adults and two children, the most common family size, must earn $58,027 to be self-sufficient ($27.89 per hour, or $13.95 per hour for two income earners).3

Considering the average annual income for an individual in Horry County is $26,917 according to the US Census Bureau (2018), it is reasonable to assume that many families and individuals are not self-sufficient and are at greater risk of becoming homeless and/or experiencing multiple episodes of homelessness.

Beyond the vast difference between the self-sufficiency standard and income, thousands of South Carolinians experience income disparities between housing costs and affordability. According to the National Low Income Housing Coalition, the housing wage in SC for a $900 two bedroom apartment is $17.30 per hour, meaning that for an individual to reasonably afford the average cost of housing expenses in SC, they must work full-time for at least $17.30 per hour. Along the Grand Strand (Myrtle Beach, North Myrtle Beach, and Conway Metropolitan Area), the housing wage is even higher, currently $19.17 per hour. With minimum wage at $7.25, and the mean renter wage an estimated $11.22 per hour, the average renter must work 1.7 full-time jobs earning the mean renter wage ($11.22) or 2.6 full-time jobs at minimum wage to be able to afford fair-market housing.4 When successful clients lose their jobs, are furloughed due to sickness or get their hours cut, they are often unable to sustain their housing, and become homeless again.

Although the state of homelessness in 2020-2021 may be dire, we stand prepared to assist those in crisis, connecting them with resources and the support of an empowering community. While the problems associated with homelessness can’t be solved overnight or by a single organization, we know that together, in a collaborative effort, we can make a difference. Because at New Directions, Together, Hope Starts Here.

References

1 “‘Rolling Shock’ as Job Losses Mount Even With Reopenings” Patricia Cohen and Tiffany Hsu. The New York Times. May 14, 2020.

2 “2019 South Carolina State of Homelessness Report”. South Carolina Interagency Council on Homelessness and Civitas. SCICH. 2019.

3 “The Self Sufficiency Standard for South Carolina 2020”. Diana M. Pearce, PhD. Published by United Way of South Carolina. September 2020.

4“Out of Reach 2020: South Carolina” National Low Income Housing Coalition. 2020.

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Rolling Forward Project 1st Anniversary

The Rolling Forward Project, a program partnership with Coastal Carolina University Sociology Department, celebrated its’ first anniversary on July 19, 2019. Rolling Forward provides bike transportation to New Directions’ Men’s Shelter clients through a free bike library.

SC Thrive Go B.I.G. Partner Award Partner agency SC Thrive, a state-wide nonprofit organization which helps South Carolinians connect to resources such as benefits and work supports, jointly awarded New Directions and Catholic Charities their GO B.I.G Partner Award during the SC Thrive Annual Training Conference on October 4, 2019 for their collaborative work to assist the chronically homeless through a shower facility.

Partnership with The Center for Counseling and Wellness A partnership with The Center for Counseling & Wellness was formed, providing individual and group out-patient mental health counseling to our clients once a week, made possible through generous funding from The Chapin Foundation.

Bank of America Neighborhood Champion Award New Directions was selected to be Bank of America’s 2020 Neighborhood Champion on November 5, 2019, the first organization to be given this award in the Myrtle Beach market. The award included a $50,000 grant to be used towards our planned renovation and expansion of the Men’s Shelter upstairs.

Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week We celebrated National Hunger & Homelessness Awareness Week with a “Fill The Truck” Food Drive, shelter tours, and a Celebration and Message of Hope. Tremendous awareness and support was raised in the community and 3,590 lbs of food were collected.

A Year In Review: 2019 – 2020 Highlights

Giving Tuesday On Giving Tuesday, a global day of giving back and doing good, our community generously kicked off year-end fundraising by donating $2,900, providing 166 nights of shelter, meals, case management, and resources to those experiencing homelessness.

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Christmas & Year-End Campaign Our year-end campaign, Envision 2020, raised over $192,000 to support our operations. Generous supporters joined us to envision a brighter future for those experiencing homelessness and provided over 12,800 nights of shelter.

Westgate Community Partnership New Directions was the Myrtle Beach area recipient of the Westgate Resort Foundations’ Strong Families, Strong Workforce Initiative. Selected for a 4th year in a row, $15,000 was awarded in January, supporting our Family Shelter.

A Father’s Place Partner of the Year Award New Directions received the Community Partnership Award at A Father's Place Building Futures Awards. A Father’s Place offers education and services to help fathers rebuild their lives and their families.

Rolling Forward Project Expands to Women’s Shelter The Rolling Forward Project celebrated expansion to New Directions’ Women’s Shelter through a ribbon cutting ceremony in March.

Cancellation of Compassion Through Fashion & COVID-19 In the wake of the national state of emergency due to the spread of COVID-19, our 5th Annual Fashion Show & Fundraiser, Compassion Through Fashion on March 14th, was cancelled (rescheduled virtually on August 22, 2020). During the weeks following, New Directions significantly changed its operations to protect our clients and staff from COVID-19 (see page 12 for details of our response).

Expansion of New Directions’ Peer Support Program $500,000 grant from the Department of Health & Human Services was awarded to the City of Myrtle Beach to expand New Directions’ Peer Support Program. The Walk

The Walk, a 3.2 mile awareness walk, was held June 18 bringing focus to agencies that serve the homeless.

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61 VETERANS

269 VOLUNTEERS

22 CHILDREN

93 PARTNER AGENCIES

IN 2019 – 2020…

20 STAFF

MEMBERS

6 INTERNS

WORKED TOGETHER TO PROVIDE…

52,872 SAFE NIGHTS

OFF THE STREET 55,000+

MEALS

TO

10,486 SERVICES & REFERRALS

542 MEN

237 WOMEN

82 CHILDREN

42 FAMILIES

41 MEN HOME

53 WOMEN

9 FAMILIES

102 MEN

68 WOMEN

31 CHILDREN

18 FAMILIES

HOUSED

131 INDIVIDUALS RECOVERY

HELPING THOSE IN CRISIS SECURE POSITIVE SOLUTIONS…

EMPOWERING 448 TOTAL INDIVIDUALS TO OVERCOME HOMELESSNESS, POVERTY, AND ADDICTION

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296 BENEFITS

NAVIGATION

267 MEDICAL

REFERRALS

65 CONNECTIONS TO CHILDCARE

176 YOUTH

SERVICES, TUTORING & EDUCATION

CONNECTIONS

21 HOMELESS

COURT PARTICIPANTS

140 COUNSELING

SESSIONS THROUGH THE CENTER FOR COUNSELING AND

WELLNESS

3192 FREE BIKE RENTALS

THROUGH THE ROLLING FORWARD

PROJECT

251 REINSTATED

ID’S

383 JOB SEARCHES,

LEADS, & RESUME

REBUILDS

768 HOUSING

APPLICATIONS, REFERRALS, & ASSISTANCE

161 MENTAL HEALTH

REFERRALS

941 LOCAL

TRANSPORTATION CONNECTIONS

2039 CASE

MANAGEMENT SESSIONS

220 SCHOOL ENROLLMENTS,

ATTENDANCE RESOLUTIONS, &

MCKINNEY-VENTO SOLUTIONS

59 PARENT &

FAMILY RESOURCE

CONNECTIONS

39 LEGAL

REFERRALS

92 BUDGETS, TAX

FILINGS, & FINANCIAL

MANAGEMENT SESSIONS

1593 ASSESSMENTS

HOW WE DID IT The ‘Nuts and Bolts’ Data Behind Our Strategy

PROGRAM PARTNERSHIP IMPACT

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Marty’s Story

In 2017, Martin Rogers lived a normal life. The US Army veteran was born and raised in Asheville, NC and lived there with his wife and child until a nasty divorce abruptly left his life in pieces. Known by his friends as “Marty”, he left the mountain city he had loved and called home for most of his life in search of a fresh

start. A friend of his invited him to Myrtle Beach to join him in starting a new business, a custom motorcycle shop. Things were looking up, and Marty moved to the area in 2018. But shortly after moving here, Marty was left stranded by his friend and business partner. He got another job and an apartment, but the high cost of living in the Grand Strand combined with his child support payments put him in financial jeopardy. Even working full-time, his income was not enough to cover his rent, basic living expenses, and child support, resulting in him becoming homeless.

Upon entering our shelter, Marty started working on his goals: getting a job, a replacement ID, and saving money for housing just to name a few. And not only was he working on his goals, but Marty became instrumental at the Men’s Shelter. He helped with The Rolling Forward Project in the beginning stages of the program, repairing donated bicycles to increase transportation options for clients to be able to get to work and resources. Marty soon started helping in the kitchen, which became a passion for him and later, a career.

Things were going well for Marty, with his ID reinstated, a quick promotion to full-time employment with the food service company, and saving money for housing, until early March 2020, when he was laid off due to COVID-19. Although his circumstances took a turn for the worse, Marty kept his spirits high and made himself available to New Directions when we needed him the most. When the shelter self-quarantined during the spring and volunteers, case

managers, and our kitchen manager worked from home, Marty was put in charge of the kitchen and oversaw the meals.

During his time at New Directions, Marty has helped cook an estimated 300+ meals at New Directions for Men, helping serve hundreds of clients as well as those in the community in need of a meal. In August 2020 with a new job working for a security company and having saved some money, Marty has moved on to transitional housing and afterward will move into his own place. He says that his time in our shelter has “been an adventure”. In his own words, “It’s time to close the book, turn to another chapter... Being here I have learned that I can stand on my own two feet”. We asked Marty what advice he would give to someone experiencing homelessness. He said, “Stay strong and believe in yourself, because nobody can change anything but you”. Though he was a bit nervous about moving out on his own, his kind and helpful disposition along with these words of wisdom, will help see him through.

Client Voices: Stories of Change from Those in Our Men’s, Women’s, & Family Programs

“Stay strong and believe in yourself, because nobody can change anything but you.”

– Martin Rogers, Former Men’s Shelter Client

Rebecca’s Story

Rebecca, 64, grew up in East Hampton, NY before coming to Myrtle Beach almost 30 years ago. After moving to North Carolina for a marriage that ended in divorce, she came back to the beach and began renting a room. Paying $400 a month to rent a room and doing housework to make ends meet, Rebecca lost her housing when her landlord decided to move and sell the property she was living in. Hopeful, she found another job and planned to use her social security check to keep a roof over her head at a hotel. That didn’t work out, as Rebecca’s living expenses soon exceeded her income and she became homeless. “I was out on the beach for almost two weeks with my luggage… I would sleep all day on the beach and then get up and walk the beach all night long to keep safe.” A community member noticed Rebecca was living on the beach, took her to the Police Station, and the MBPD connected her with the Woman’s Shelter.

After coming to our shelter in May 2019, Rebecca immediately got to work getting a reinstated ID, applying for food stamps, and getting a part-time job. Within a few months, she moved into Snug Harbor, our transitional living program for women. Although she made tremendous progress in a short period of time, Rebecca wasn’t without her setbacks. In the spring of 2020, she was unable to start a new job due to COVID-19. That job ultimately fell through, but after a few months she was able to regain employment. Of her challenges she says; “my life has not been a bed of roses but what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger”. In August 2020 after working and waiting several months, Rebecca moved out into her own apartment. “I’ve never lived by myself… Even now that I’m in my 60s, I wanted a better life and a place to call my own, something to be proud of. Now, having successfully escaped homelessness, her desire is that others will do the same. “I cannot stress enough how grateful I am for your program. The program does work if you work the program… A lot of people don’t know better because all they know is the streets. It’s hard to break the cycle, that vicious cycle. I’m proving that you can do it. I know the struggle I went through. But I made it, I’m proud, and I thank New Directions.”

Jessica, Louis, & Mason’s Story Jessica and Louis have been married for 7 years. 5 years ago, before they were homeless, they had a baby born with a heart condition. The death of that child, only 2 hours after birth, was the moment their life fell apart. At the time, they lived with family in Pennsylvania who were unable to process such devastating loss and blamed Jessica and Louis for the death of their baby. The couple left PA to start a new life in SC and overcome their grief, but their plans didn’t work out and they soon became homeless. In 2018, they were expecting again, living out of their car for the entire pregnancy. Mason was born premature, and placed in the NICU, with the same heart condition as Jessica and Louis’ deceased child. When Jessica and Louis came to our shelter, Mason had just had open heart surgery at three months old. Prior to this they were staying at another shelter, but were only allowed to stay 90 days. Despite their son’s situation, no exception was made and their family was back on the streets again.

Things started to look up for Jessica, Louis, and Mason after their case manager connected them with mental health therapy, a social security advocate, a marriage counselor, and signed them up for housing programs. For the first time in years, they had a safe and consistent place to stay with the resources that

they needed to secure a better life for themselves and their son. During their stay with us, 4 potential apartments for their family fell through, some of them due to the uncertainty of COVID-19. After months of waiting, Jessica, Louis, and Mason finally moved into their apartment, the first place of their own in more than 5 years. Thanks to their case manager, on-going services have been set up to help them continue to be successful.

“It’s hard to break the cycle… I’m proving that you can do it. I know the struggle I went through. But I made it, I’m proud, and I thank New Directions.”

– Rebecca, Former Women’s Shelter & Snug Harbor Client

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COVID-19 Challenges & Response Following the COVID-19 Emergency Declaration on March 13th, we entered the first of what would be several phases in our COVID-19 response. Beginning Monday, March 16th precautionary directives were put into place to be implemented by shelter staff. These directives were adapted and added to best follow local government regulations, stay at home orders, and keep in mind the safety of our clients, staff, and volunteers. Throughout each phase of our COVID-19 response, we strived to maintaining a calm atmosphere, keep communication lines open and spirits high, and do everything reasonably possible to negate the spread of COVID-19 and protect our “family” of 200 clients and staff from contracting the coronavirus.

Phase I: Precaution & Preventive Action (March 16th – April 5th)

New Directions remained open under regular operating procedures while taking the following precautions:

• No one was allowed to be at the shelters without a specific purpose. • Staff who were at high-risk for COVID-19 were placed on paid leave and volunteers who identified

themselves as high-risk were asked to discontinue volunteering temporarily. • Clients were educated about the need for cleanliness and reminded to wash their hands frequently. Signs

that provided additional precautionary instructions concerning hygiene were strategically placed in facilities. • Per HUD guidelines, clients adjusted their bed arrangements for sleeping head-to-toe, toe-to-head and

common areas were cleaned and sanitized 2-3 times more often than normal. • Clients identified with symptoms such as a fever, cough, and/or difficulty breathing were connected with a

doctor via MUSC’s Virtual Care line 843-261-5940. If a client tested positive for the virus, each shelter was prepared to provide quarantine in a designated room.

• 3 lead clients were designated to work with staff to ensure the continued preparation and serving of meals to our clients and dinner for those in need in our community.

• A list of available community resources was compiled through our partnership with VOAD (Voluntary Organizations Assisting Disasters) and the United Way, helping provide for the needs of our clients and those seeking services.

Phase II: “Work-or-Home” Order & Shelter Self-Quarantine (April 6th – May 10th)

In compliance with SC’s “Work or Home” order, we implemented the following measures to keep our clients and staff safe:

• Clients remained on property at ALL times unless they had a reasonable excuse or commitment such as work, a doctor’s appointment, court appearance, etc. with permission to leave property approved by their case manager.

• No new clients were accepted due to the risk of exposing current client to COVID-19. Those seeking services were either referred to partner agencies such as ECHO who were able to provide DHEC approved shelter/quarantine through hotel vouchers, or clients were provided long-distance transportation home by New Directions to reunite with family or other support systems where they had their best chance of success and safety.

• All Case Managers worked from home and assisted clients remotely via phone and email. Our night staff moved on property and worked in rotation to provide continuous coverage of our facilities. Volunteer opportunities were furloughed.

• Reusable masks were distributed to all clients.

Phase III: Limited “Reopening” of the Shelters (May 11th – May 25th)

Succeeding the lifting of SC’s “Work or Home” order, we reopened our shelters with the following limitations:

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• Case Management returned to working in-person with 6-foot social distancing in place. When not in their offices, staff were required to wear masks. Face-to-face client meetings were limited as much as possible and were conducted in designated places which allowed for social distancing.

• COVID related curfews and rules from Phase II were maintained. • New clients were accepted with reduced capacity limited at 75% and clients waited outside the shelters for

intake and were temperature checked before being entering. Upon intake, new clients were assigned beds separated from existing clients.

• Those with a high temperature were sent to partner agency Little River Medical Center for testing and were quarantined for the 36-hour waiting period for test results to come back. If a test came back positive, we were prepared to open a case with DHEC and determine if additional individuals needed to be tested.

• Clients were encouraged to wear masks, except when they are in their beds, practice social distancing, and regular hand washing. Hourly sanitation of commonly used surfaces and areas occurred.

Phase IV: Return to Full Operations Under “The New Normal” (May 26th – Present)

• Day-time curfews were lifted allowing clients to leave during the day without restrictions. • Return of volunteer opportunities with limits on capacity and ensuring social distancing. • Continuation of reduced capacity in the shelters. • Mask wearing is still encouraged among clients and staff.

Thanks to these measures, no clients tested positive for COVID-19. While one staff member tested positive for COVID-19, they were immediately self-quarantined upon experiencing symptoms and as a result, no other staff or clients tested positive for the virus.

Beyond the challenges of keeping our “family” safe, our clients experienced numerous setbacks and hurdles, often preventing them from moving forward and lengthening their stay with us. The schools that children at the Family Shelter attended were closed beginning March 17th. For what was initially intended to only be a few weeks, brick and mortar schools remained closed for the rest of the school year and families that were staying with us had to navigate remote learning; challenging enough for a “normal” family, but especially difficult for a homeless family in a community living situation. Without schools and daycares, parents at the family shelter were unable to work or find jobs and resources, having to watch their children and help them transition to virtual learning. Like so many other Americans, men and women at our shelters lost their jobs due to COVID-19, caused by the slow-down of our local tourist economy, due to closures and stay-at-home orders across the country. In addition to the job losses our clients experienced, COVID-19 made it increasingly difficult for them to secure positive solutions to homelessness, poverty, and addiction. Remote case management, closed government agencies, and limited access to partner agencies distanced our clients from the resources and services they rely on to help them get back up on their feet.

Though COVID-19 has been a difficult unforeseen event, unlike anything ever experienced in modern history, at New Directions, there have been some positives to the pandemic. COVID-19 has been a tremendous time of learning for us and the challenges that the pandemic brought us helped highlight areas for improvement and gave us an opportunity to be proactive in addressing them. It has also been a time of tremendous support, as our generous community gave so willingly to meet our every need during a time of scarcity. Fiscal Year 2020 was humbling for New Directions, but it was a year in which we the commitment to our mission has only grown. Thanks to COVID-19, we are more united; as an organization, with our partner agencies, and with our community as a whole, as for the first time, we all shared a collective experience that affected not only those we know, but our entire world. As we head into the recovery period, now more than ever, we recognize the power of a supportive community. Together, we will work to overcome the challenges of COVID-19, as we continue our on-going fight to end homelessness, poverty, and addiction.

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Expansion of Our Mission & Services

Since our founding seven years ago, New Directions’ programs and services have greatly expanded, both in scope and capacity. Our journey began in 2013 with the consolidation of three previously existing shelter organizations to better assist homeless men, women, and families; Street Reach Ministries, Lifeline, and The Center for Women & Children. In 2014, we developed and piloted a program, Back To Work, Back To Life (BTW-BTL), designed to help address underlying issues which cause homelessness and secure a positive outcome of housing, reuniting with family, or going to long-term recovery. BTW-BTL was successful and has since become our signature program for empowering homeless to change their circumstances. In 2015, we became the primary provider of shelter in Horry County with the addition of Myrtle Beach Haven (now our family shelter). In 2017, we began a Peer Support Program with the addition of a Certified Peer Support Specialist to our team, providing persons who are struggling from Opioid Use Disorder, Substance Use Disorder, and/or Alcohol Use Disorder the resources for individual empowerment. During 2018-2019, we established program partnerships addressing our clients’ most significant barriers; transportation (The Rolling Forward Project), legal issues (Homeless Court), and mental illness (The Center for Counseling & Wellness).

Looking back at Fiscal Year 2020, our focus as an organization turned to preparing for physical expansion. Last fall, we purchased a lot adjacent to the Men’s Shelter to be eventually used for the construction of a new Women’s Shelter and administrative offices. Throughout the whole year we worked to secure funding for the renovation of the Men’s Shelter upstairs, with plans to add up to 74 beds, expanding our Work-Stay program, and allowing a portion of the downstairs to be used a low-barrier emergency shelter (a project which began its first phase at the beginning of FY 2021). At the close of FY 2020, New Directions expanded its Peer Support Program, now known as the Addiction & Recovery Outreach Initiative (ARO), thanks to a $500,000 2-year grant commitment from the City of Myrtle Beach, awarding DHHS funds to support the program through two new peer supports and scholarships for recovery, enabling us to serve both Horry & Georgetown Counties.

As we turn our attention to Fiscal Year 2021, our 7th year of operation, we further recognize our role not only as the leader of the collaborative effort to end homelessness in Myrtle Beach, Horry County, South Carolina, but also, as a leader in the fights to end the poverty, and the addiction crisis respectively. Thanks to both tremendous growth in the past and our long-term plans for growth as an organization, New Directions can no longer define itself as simply “shelters for men, women, and families with children”. We have always provided more than just shelter or “a bed and a meal” to those experiencing homelessness. For those in crisis, beyond just a safe place to lie down, rest, and regroup, we have provided them with the connections and tools to overcome, to recover, to move forward, and achieve their best life possible. Now, in recognition of both our foundation an organization; shelters, providing the most immediate needs of those in crisis and our ever-expanding programs and services, our board of directors has adopted a new mission statement, strategy, and tagline for our organization:

Our Mission is to help people recover from the crises of homelessness, poverty, and addiction by providing basic needs, connection to resources, and community support.

From Crisis. To Connection. To Community. Together, Hope Starts Here.

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Financials

Fiscal Year 2020 (July 1, 2019 – June 30, 2020)

57%31%

10% 2%

REVENUE

Grants Contributions

Fundraising Other Revenue

EXPENSES

- 80.3% Program Expenses

- 19.7% Support Services Expenses

Unrestricted Income82%

Donor Restricted18%

Restricted vs Unrestricted Income

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Thank you to the following generous Community Groups, Civic Clubs, & Churches for their support in 2019 – 2020

EDNA WARDLAW CHARITABLE TRUST

OCEANVIEW MEMORIAL FOUNDATION

Thank you to the following Charitable Foundations, Grantors, and Government Agencies for their

unwavering support of New Directions in FY 2019-2020!

Archibald Rutledge Club Beach Church

Belin Memorial United Methodist Church Brittain Fellowship

Brown Swamp United Methodist Women Carolina Forest Community Church

Christ Church Murrells Inlet Coast of Carolina Parrothead Club Episcopal Church of the Messiah

First Baptist Church of Murrells Inlet First Presbyterian Church Myrtle Beach

First United Methodist Church Grand Dunes Master Association

Grand Strand Baptist Church Interact Club Scholar’s Academy

Joy Class M tl B h Chi R t Cl b

Myrtle Beach Chinese Community Myrtle Beach Golf & Yacht Community Women’s Club

Myrtle Beach Pickleball Club Ocean Drive Presbyterian Church

Ocean View Baptist Church Oceanside Village Worship Service

St. James Catholic Church St. Michael's Catholic Church

The Church of the Resurrection Trinity Presbyterian Church of Surfside Beach

Unity Christ Church Rotary Club of Carolina Forest Rotary Club of Myrtle Beach

Socastee Baptist Church Socastee United Methodist Church

St Michael's Women's Guild

Community Support

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Thank You to Our Generous Donors Whose Gifts Allow Us to Move People From Crisis, To Connection, To Community!

Terri Abshire Martha Aikman Hajar Alami-Newsome Patti Angulo Earle Atkinson Thomas Baarman Jade Baker Joseph & Jennifer Ball Susan Barbieri-Chambers Acton Beard Margaret Bellamy Stephanie Beltz Craig & Gayle Berkey Brenda Bethune Britt Bird Mary Lou Blackmon Caroline Bohovich Samuel Bookhart Carmen Borg Ellen Borgers Evelyn Bowler Irene Brinkmann A. Preston Brittain Ginger Brown Sue Brunson Lily Bryant Cindy Bucy Susan Burwell Juliann Bushaw Deforrest Kimberly Button Brenda Cahill Gloria Cain Donna Carbone Paul & Fujiko Carlson Melissa Carr Edwina Carter-Rice Nancy Champagne Judy Charles Joan Chartier Mary & Frank Clark Sharon Clayton Linda Cole Steven & Deborah Cook Brian Coolbaugh Robert Coolbaugh Stephen Coolbaugh Dora Cooper Lynda Cottingham Therese Cunningham Kathleen Curia Kathryn Curran Cathy & Pat Daly Sophia Davi Linda Deemer Jezreel Jay Dela Cruz Frank Delahanty Debbie Denny Shannon Detzler Lynn DeWolfe Joan Dore

Justin Plyler Monty Porter Ashlyn Poston Vasilios Pournaras Shirley & George Pullar Lauren Ragland Lindsey Rankin Carol Retting Mike Riga Karen Riordan Mary Jo & David Rogers John & Jennifer Rogowski Penny Rosner Robert & Jan Rusenko Robin Russell Lisa Sanderson Dan Schearer Elizabeth Scheffel Palya Jeanne Scott David & Tamsley Seaborn Bill & Chris Sellen Amber Shafer Letitia Shawver Janine Simpson Baker Julia Singleton Richard Singleton Reba & Patric Siniscalchi Nancy Skelley Martha & Glenn Sledge Charles Small Margaret Smith Tilghman Smith Susan Sparks Fred Spitzhoff Barbara Stanley Gloria Stauffer Peter Stetson Harold & Claudia Stowe Sherri Strickland Gregory & Alicia Thompson Nannette Thompson Charles & Callie Timbes Roger & Lisa Turner James Turner Stephanie Van Pelt Carson Watts Michael Weatherford Jessie Weatherly William & Sybil Wickliffe John Williams Don & Carole Williamson Sabrena Wilson Jeremy Withers Cammie Wolfe Julie Wolfe Gail Workman Pamela Wright Diane Yatkauskas Lynnwood Young Dale Zeglin

Patricia Dorso James Duckett Anjana Duff Roy & Helen Duryea Eric Eanes Alexis Echols Kathy Eckert Ron Edmonds Debbie Elliott Melissa Entrekin Dr. Lisa Evans Jane Farnham Ali Ferrari Kaitlyn Fisher Margaret Fletcher Charles Floyd Kimberly Floyd Kevin Foy Carol Joyce Franceski Catherine Frisby Joan Furlong Dale & Suzanne Gaff Steven Gause Ann Giancarli Paula Gibbons Taryn Goebel Bob Gray James Hanley Donnella Hardee Savannah Harden Spencer Hare Gwendolyn Harris Carol Harth Brenda Hayes Melanie Hellmer Jan Hemphill Vince Hester Michael D Hewitt Michael Hillman John & Jeanine Hinson Karen Hodgekinson-Price Morris & Bettina Hoover Jackie Horne Edward Horton James Hubbard Thomas & Susan Hudgins Thomas Hudgins, Jr. Lori Huffman Lowell Huffman Linda Hunter Barbara Isaac Allen & Mary Jeffcoat Faye Johnson Carolyn & Mike Jones Cassandra Jones Geoffrey & Lesa Jones Charles & Amy Jordan Ernest Jordan J Scott Jordan J M Karetas

Thomas Kasler Sue Ellen & J Thomas Katancik Anita Kaufman Gary Keisler Bill & Kim Kelley Elizabeth Kelley Bobby Kelly G. Royce King Angie Koepcke Greg and Nina Krahling Ulltza Kronemeyer Drew Lambert Steve Lawson Dona Lee Louise Lewis Karen Lindahl Victoria Lindsey Alexander Long Kim Lowder Holly Lusk Elizabeth Magenbauer Amy Magnafichi Strong Don & Linda Malkemes Drew & Sarah Mangano Lauren Mann Stephen & Candida Mantell O C Martin Jeannie Martinac Carl & Joyce Maya Peg Mazzaraco Kiki McColloch Tweed McElveen Sandy McGinnis Kelly McManus Robert McTague Robert & Jacquelin Mello Russell & Nancy Mendola Jeffrey Mense Thomas & Patricia Merrell Whitney Messervy Maria Mierzejewski Elwin Miles Kenny Milliken Ed Miramontes Yvonne Mitchell Forrester Morgan Jessica Morris Gordon Mundy Virginia & James Myers Albert & Terri Nardslico Greg Nelson Angela Pharr Barbara & James Pickens Anne Pimentel Jamie Northup James O’Neil Isaac Owens Nate Pease Chasity Pendergrass Gloria Perrone Bruno

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McDonald’s of The Grand Strand

Corporate Support

BlueCross BlueShield of SC

Bank of America

Carolina Radiology

Cavinder Elevator Company

Clemmons Law Firm

Coastal Network Cooperative

Dominion Energy

Gay Dolphin Inc

Grand Dunes Master Association

Marathon Petroleum

Molina Healthcare

SC Real Estate Network

Speech Language & Pathology Services

State Farm Insurance

Westgate Resorts

We owe a debt of gratitude to the following businesses and corporations for supporting us in Fiscal Year 2020 through generous contributions and sponsoring our

annual fundraiser, Compassion Through Fashion. Although CTF was cancelled for

this Fiscal Year due to COVID-19 (rescheduled virtually on August 22, 2020),

we wanted to recognize the unwavering support of our sponsors for the original

date on March 14, 2020.

Pat & Cathy Daly | Mary & Allen Jeffcoat | Deborah McArthur & Ron Edmonds Episcopal

Church of the Messiah

Compassion Through Fashion 2020 Sponsors

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Volunteers

Barbara Anderson Glenn Anderson

Julie Bogess Betsi Cox

Debbie Craft Melanie Dunn Glen Gunther Dan Haddock

Marvin Haldren Ron Hamilton

Sharon Howard Sue Hudgins Robin Hyatt

Greg Jennings Mary Jennings Kathy Kammier

Cindy Kropp Joe Lucas

Kathleen McDonald Cat McGehee Sharon Merritt

Edna Ray George Reynolds

Carole Scarpa Angie Schaller Tom Schaller

Nancy Schweitzer Steven Schweitzer

Steve Shaver Jayne Smith

Laurie Sojourner Dean Tarsi

Phyllis Tarsi John Toben

Kristen Toben Linda Toben Jane Winter Kay Woodall

Larry Woodall Dennis Wright Irene Zedney

Volunteer Groups

Bank of America Beach Church Groups

Better Brands Brittain Fellowship Capital Vacations

Carolina Forest Community Church Carolina Forest Rotary

Calvary Chapel Chicora Rotary Christ Church

Coastal Carolina Sociology Dept. Doxa Church

First United Methodist Church of Myrtle Beach First Presbyterian Church of Myrtle Beach

Forestbrook Baptist Church Grand Strand Young Professionals

Hill Chapel Household of Faith Impact Ministries

Leadership Grand Strand Maple Baptist Church

Myrtle Beach Lions Club North Myrtle Beach Pickleball Club

New Covenant Church Order of Franciscan Secular

Palmetto Pointe Seacoast Vineyard Church

Socastee United Methodist Church South Atlantic Bank

St James Catholic Church Surfside Realty Surfside Rotary

St. Michael’s Charismatic Prayer Group St. Michael’s Filipino Group

Wellspring Church

Thank You to The Following Groups and Individuals Who Volunteered Over 6,182 Hours July 2019 – June 2020!

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A Father's Place Affordable Dentures

Alliance Inn Associated Charities

BabyNet Benefit Bank

Boys and Girls Club of the Grand Strand Care Team

Catholic Charities Center of Wellness & Counseling

Children Recovery Center Churches Assisting People (CAP)

Coastal Carolina University Coastline Women's Center

Community Crisis Response Intervention Continuing Education

Palmetto Goodwill Conway DHEC

Conway Education Center Conway Health Department Conway Housing Authority

Conway Medical Center Department of Social Services

Eastern Carolina Housing Organization Family Connections of South Carolina

Family Justice Center Fostering Hope

Freedom Readers Friendship Clinic

Grand Strand Medical Center Ground Zero

Habitat for Humanity Health Care Partners of SC

Help 4 Kids Helping Hands of Myrtle Beach

Hope House Horry County Literacy Council

Horry County Schools Horry County Solicitor's Office

Horry Georgetown Technical College Justice Works

Little River Medical Center Logistic Care

Medicaid Medicaid Healthy Connections

Medicare Myrtle Beach Counseling Center

Myrtle Beach DHEC Myrtle Beach Health Department Myrtle Beach Housing Authority

Myrtle Beach Lions Club Myrtle Beach Police Department Myrtle Beach Victims Advocate

Oxford House Palmetto Goodwill Project Lighthouse Rape Crisis Center

Safe Driving SC Department of Disability and Special Needs

SC Department of Motor Vehicles South Carolina Legal Services

SC Thrive SC Works Sea Haven

Shoreline Behavioral Health Services Sober Living of America

SOS Healthcare South Carolina Youth Advocate Program

The Salvation Army Trussell Driving School

Tutoring with Miss P Veteran's Affairs Welcome Home Center

Vocational Rehab Waccamaw Economic Opportunity Council

Partner Agencies

We couldn’t help those experiencing homelessness poverty, and addiction without

the valuable services, resources, and collaboration of the following agencies

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From Crisis... When life takes an unexpected turn, we stand ready to meet the most immediate and vital needs of those in crisis.

• Shelter • Meals • Laundry and Showers • Transportation Home • And More

To Connection… Beyond a safe place for those in need to lie down, rest, and regroup, we connect our clients with resources through case management and peer support, giving them the tools they need to change their circumstances.

• Advocacy • Goal-Setting • Life-Coaching • Reinstated Legal Documents • Childcare Placement and School Enrollment • Resume Writing • Job Search Assistance • Training Programs • Disability and Benefits Navigation • Personal Growth • Financial Planning • Placement in Detox and Recovery Communities

We recognize that each person has a different path towards taking a new direction in life: Securing Housing. Reuniting with Family. Placement in Long-Term Recovery. Our team works diligently to identify and help clients overcome barriers that may prevent them from achieving their goals.

To Community… Although homelessness, poverty, and addiction are problems often caused by individual circumstances, their solutions are only found in community. Thanks to strong relationships with our partners, our clients benefit from a supportive, empowering community, filled with people and agencies dedicated to their success.

• Connections to Housing. • Mental Health Counseling. • Medical Care. • Transportation. • Legal Assistance. • Family Services. • Long-Term Recovery.

We value each person placed in our care and strive to instill the greatest gift - Hope. Hope that inspires us to move forward. Hope that carries us through difficult times. Hope that overcomes difficult circumstances.

By providing basic needs, connections to resources, and the support of an empowering community, those in crisis know that at New Directions, Hope Starts Here.

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What You Can Do to Help Make More Life Change Possible in 2021

GIVE

- Support New Directions’ Mission Financially Through A One-Time Gift, Recurring Giving, Bequests, or Corporate Support

- Support Our Operations Through In-Kind Donations of Food, Paper Products, Cleaning Supplies, Office Supplies, and Hygiene Items for our clients.

To make a financial gift, visit www.helpnewdirections.org to give online, or make checks payable to New Directions and mail to our administrative office at:

732 8th Ave N. Myrtle Beach, SC 29577

For More Information on Financial Giving, Contact Elizabeth Schlueter, Development Director, at

(843) 945-4902 (press 4) or eschlueter@helpnewdirections.org.

For Questions about In-Kind Donations, Call (843) 945-4902 (press 4)

VOLUNTEER

Volunteers are the “boots on the ground” of New Directions. We are proud to rely on our volunteers who serve through a variety of opportunities to help meet client needs and ensure our operations. You can

help by:

- Cooking and Serving Community Dinner - Meal Prep - Food Pick-ups and Drop-offs - Organizing/Distributing Supplies - Laundry Assistance - Yard-Work & Landscaping - Cleaning & Maintenance

Contact Brenda Ryan, Operations Director at bryan@helpnewdirections.org to get involved.

LEARN MORE & SPREAD THE WORD

Visit our website

www.helpnewdirections.org

& Connect With Us on Social Media!

Facebook: New Directions of Horry County

Instagram: @HelpNewDirections

Ending Homelessness Wouldn’t Be Possible Without the Support of An Empowering Community… Whether You Give, Volunteer, or Get Involved in Other Ways, Thank You! Together, We Can Make A

Difference Because, Together, Hope Starts Here.