Alston Wilkes Society

A nonprofit organization

Rebuilding Lives. Strengthening Communities.

At the Alston Wilkes Society (AWS), we believe everyone deserves a second chance.

For 63 years, we’ve been helping some of South Carolina’s most vulnerable neighbors—homeless veterans, families in crisis, people returning from prison, and youth facing serious challenges—find stability, hope, and a path forward.

Founded in 1962 by Rev. Eli Alston Wilkes as a small reentry program, AWS has grown into a statewide nonprofit serving communities across South Carolina. Today, we provide housing for veterans, guidance and structure for at-risk youth, and hands-on support for individuals rebuilding their lives after incarceration. Every day, we help people overcome barriers and move toward independence.

In 2023 alone, 2,561 individuals worked with AWS to secure housing, gain employment, strengthen life skills, and build safer, more stable futures for themselves and their families.

When you give, you’re not just making a donation—you’re helping someone move from crisis to confidence. You’re helping a veteran find a home. A young person find direction. A returning citizen find a fresh start.

Join us in turning second chances into lasting change.

Your Donations Make Hope Possible

When a female veteran fled a domestic violence situation with her children, she had nothing but the clothes they could carry and a car to sleep in.

“I just wanted my kids to be safe,” she said.

Alston Wilkes Society placed the family in a hotel immediately and began working with her on a housing stabilization plan. As she started searching for an apartment, something unexpected happened: she learned she qualified for a VA home loan. Buying a home would actually cost less than renting.

With the program’s standard 30-day hotel limit approaching, the pressure was on. But instead of giving up, she pushed forward — and signed a contract on a house just in time.

After she provided proof of the signed contract and VA loan approval, Alston Wilkes Society extended her hotel stay until closing day. After 59 days in temporary shelter, she didn’t move into another short-term situation — she moved into her own home.

Today, she and her children are safe, stable, and thriving. With continued support from Alston Wilkes Society’s Aftercare team, this veteran is no longer living in crisis — she’s living in hope.