From The Desk of Kathy Jenkins - June 2023

If you're like me, you look forward to the arrival of summer with its warmer weather, longer days, family vacations, and perhaps some time on the beach. Summer is always an exciting time on the Grand Strand, but even more so, at New Directions this year. On July 1, our organization will have completed its 10th fiscal year!

New Directions began with a vision - consolidating four independent shelters into one organization to better serve the homeless. Since our founding in 2013, we've successfully merged Street Reach Ministries, LifeLine, The Center for Women & Children, and Myrtle Beach Haven into one organization, developed a signature program (now known as Pathways), built partnerships to address barriers such as mental illness, transportation, and legal issues, completed a capital expansion of the Men's Shelter 2nd Floor and have increased our services to those suffering from addiction and chronic homelessness.

This summer is also special because more than just celebrating 10 years of service to our community, we will be celebrating 10,000 persons served! Since 2013, over 10,000 lives have been positively impacted through shelter, meals, basic needs, recovery, and resources, helping over 5,000 secure a permanent, positive solution to their crisis through housing, reuniting with family, or long-term recovery. We have certainly come a long way in 10 years and I am grateful for the efforts of our staff, board, and community partners to support our programming, ensure our sustainability, expand our impact, and most of all, to help those we serve.

Above all, I am grateful for your partnership - these past 10 years would have been impossible without your support! Thank you for providing help, hope, and a way forward to those in crisis. We can't wait to see what the next 10 years bring!

Kathy Jenkins, CEO

PS - Mark your calendar for our 10th Anniversary Celebration on 8/4!