Our History

Neighbor to Neighbor created in order to provide Case Management to the elderly and chronically ill in Horry County by Mary Lou Brown, a local social worker.

• Incorporated and gained 501(C)3 status.
• Provided care consultations, referrals, Medicaid application assistance and housing rehabilitation to 50 home-bound seniors.
• Received first of five annual Corporate donations from the Jackson Companies.

• Received first grant from Ocean View Baptist Church.
• Accepted as a new program by the Horry County United Way.
• Provided services to 99 home-bound seniors.

• Recruited Harry Campbell to develop the Neighbor to Neighbor program.
• Recruited and trained 23 volunteers and provided 488 medical and quality of life transport for 74 elderly and disabled residents of Horry County.

• Received grants for The United Way of Horry County, the Elder Care Trust Fund of the Lt. Governor’s Office on Aging, the Chapin Foundation, and the Waccamaw Community Foundation.
• Recruited and trained 24 volunteers and provided 1,458 transports for an additional 135 elderly and disabled residents.

• Received grants from The United Way of Horry County, the Horry County Council on Aging, the Elder Care Trust Fund of the Lt. Governor’s Office on Aging, the Sisters of Charity of SC.
• Recruited and trained 59 additional volunteers and grew transportation services 70% over 2009, providing 2500 transports to 204 additional elderly and disabled residents.
• Began groundwork for replicating transportation services for the elderly and disabled in Georgetown County, partnering with the Waccamaw Regional Council of Governments (WRCOG) Area Agency on Aging, the WRCOG Transportation Department, Georgetown Outreach Ministries, and the Georgetown United Way.
• Recruited and trained 6 Georgetown County volunteers.

• Received new grants form The United Way of Horry County, the Sisters of Charity of SC, the Waccamaw Community Foundation, and continued financial support of the Horry County Council on Aging.
• Received grant from the South Carolina Department of Transportation.
• Continued replication of transportation services in Georgetown County, recruiting and training 19 new volunteers and providing 230 transport to 31 elderly and disabled Georgetown County residents through August.
• Recruited and trained an additional 35 new volunteers in Horry County and provided 2,686 transports through August to an additional 105 elderly and disabled residents of Horry County through August.
• Partnered with the Georgetown United Way along with 10 other non-profits in Georgetown County to bring in 5 Americorps VISTA volunteers to work for the agencies for 3 years in volunteer recruitment and training.
• Volunteers provided 3,900 rides.

• Implemented new ride coordination software, Assisted Rides, to more efficiently manage coordination of rides.
• Over 4,500 rides provided by volunteers of the N2N program.
• Expanded service region to include North Myrtle Beach, Conway, and the Waccamaw Neck.
• 64 new volunteer drivers recruited for the program.
• Staff expanded to 1 FTE and 2 PTE.

• Joe Kunkel became Executive Director.
• The board of directors updated bylaws.
• The organization developed an application process and began using financial procedures.
• Volunteers provided 5,963 transports.
• N2N program received recognition from Lt. Governor Glenn McConnell.

• Board members voted to update the vision, mission, and statement of purpose for Grace Ministries and the Neighbor to Neighbor program
• Leadership implemented policies and procedures to assist staff and office volunteers.
• 5,424 completed rides by volunteers of the Neighbor to Neighbor program.
• Developed duties and expectations of volunteer opportunities for interested individuals that includes: drivers, office volunteer, and community coordinator.
• Hired a full-time Volunteer Coordinator in order to help manage the growing need for N2N services.
• Recruited a 63 new volunteers.

• Board members and leadership developed a strategic plan.
• The organization adopted a values statement, RIDES: Respect, Integrity, Dignity, Excellence, Service to Society.
• Recruited a 63 new volunteers.
• The Neighbor to Neighbor program received recognition from Lt. Governor Henry McMaster.
• N2N began its monthly Social Hour along with e-newsletter.
• Volunteers transports reached 6,052.
• Recipient of the South Carolina Department of Transportation’s “Transit Provider of the Year in Human Services”.

• The organization officially changes its name to Neighbor to Neighbor of South Carolina, Inc.
• Updated bylaws, policies and procedures, and financial practices.
• Began development for additional programs: Neighbor to Neighbor Plus and Neighbor to Neighbor Coordination.
• Received the prestigious, “Award for Nonprofit Excellence in Governance and Management” by the South Carolina Association of Nonprofit Organizations (now Together SC).

• Increased number of rides to over 600 for first time in agency history with 626 in March.
• Initiated first Social Isolation Event hosted by Mercy Care Hospice
• Expanded collaborative partners to include AARP of South Carolina
• Recruited four interns from CCU and HGTC
• Worked the N2N 100 events across the service area to promote volunteerism
• Administered a client and volunteer survey with overwhelmingly positive results from both parties

• Developed a new partnership with Freedom Readers to come together for a collective cause around reducing social isolation and promoting literacy to youth
• Crossed over 700 rides in a single month with 732 provided in May
• Board expands and develops updated mission to reflect importance of transportation, social engagement, and clientele
• Resilience of the community, volunteers, neighbors, and organization as Hurricane Florence hurled through the area
• Provided temporary office space by our friends at Ground Zero and First Presbyterian during evacuation and clean-up
• N2N volunteers and supporters sent over 1,000 holiday cards to N2N neighbors

• Rebranded Neighbor to Neighbor
• Launched new website at riden2n.org
• Recipient of prestigious, “Angel Award” from the South Carolina Secretary of State’s office
• Creation and implementation of a three year strategic plan with Exponential Evaluation
• Grew the board by four new members
• Set up expansion into Brunswick, North Carolina