History

born out of kindness

House of Hope Officers

HOUSE OF HOPE OF THE PEE DEE
Jean and Bill Fryar saw a shelter in Florence turn away as many as 20 homeless people in 1988 and felt deeply troubled by the lack of a safe haven for them. This became a moment that changed their lives forever. They ignited a mission that opened its doors to the homeless of the Pee Dee in 1990.
MEN’S HOME

In 1991 the original men’s shelter was opened in Effingham, SC and was called the New Life Rescue Ministry. 2006 – the New Life Rescue Ministry changed its name to House of Hope of the Pee Dee and expanded our offerings to include a women and children’s home for long term recovery.

COURTNEY MCGINNIS GRAHAM COMMUNITY SHELTER

The 2015 death of a local homeless advocate prompted her family to want to open an emergency shelter to honor her work, and they contacted the House of Hope to see about partnering with us. The Courtney McGinnis Graham Shelter opened in October of 2016.

Because the Pee Dee lacked long-term transitional housing for women and children, in 2019 the staff began to dream about tiny houses to meet that need.

HOPE VILLAGE

On September 2020 ground was broken for 24 tiny houses, for dignified, long-term, transitional housing, initially for women and children. And in June of 2022 the first guests were welcomed into HOPE Village.

The House of Hope ministry has grown from two people to nearly 50 employees. Today we still have the same heart “for the least of these” that Bill and Jean Fryar did more than 30 years ago when they first established their ministry for the homeless in Florence, South Carolina.

THE ARC

In June of 2023, the Addictions Recovery Center (ARC) opened, offering men 139 acres for recovery from addictions with an emphasis on growing their relationship with Christ and learning life skills. This addition is the first 90 days in our 12-month Life Recovery Program.

We want to be the Light at the End of the Tunnel

The Church Community Resource Center
We believe that we have been sent to the homeless of the Pee Dee to offer food, housing and clothing, to lead them to faith in Christ, and to help them become contributing members of the body of Christ and of society.

What Are We Doing Now?

A Hartsville Community Resource Center

Hartsville is a community where both poverty and opportunity coexist. While nearly a quarter of its residents face poverty, there are also pathways to personal growth through Coker University, Florence-Darlington Tech, and the strong presence of Sonoco, the only Fortune 500 company headquartered in South Carolina. House of Hope wants to serve as a bridge for those caught in the struggle—pointing them to the hope and opportunity that Hartsville has to offer. This vision is shared by the local community, which believes the time is now to invest in its greatest treasure: the people, especially those most in need.

House of Hope is thrilled to join hands with Hartsville’s businesses, churches, non-profits, and Hartsville Interfaith Ministries to bring this dream to life. The plan is to create a “one-stop shop” where local agencies can meet with those in need and provide a safe space for rest, showers, counseling, case management, and emergency shelter. In addition, local churches will partner with us to open overnight services when temperatures dip below 40 degrees or conditions are unsafe.

The building at 212 W. Carolina Avenue, purchased debt-free on May 15, 2025, will soon be transformed into this community resource hub. We are grateful for the early support that has already begun to raise the $750,000 for renovations and $600,000 for the first two years of operations. With God’s help and your prayers, we believe this ambitious project will open in 2026. Your prayers, financial support, and volunteer efforts are essential as we work to serve the people of Hartsville.

To God,
The Glory.