Florence

Florence, South Carolina sits at the crossroads of I-95 and I-20, a mid-sized city of around 38,000 people that serves as a regional hub for healthcare, retail, and agriculture in the Pee Dee region. It has a small-town feel with a working-class backbone, though the average household income hovers around $52,000 a year, and plenty of families here live paycheck to paycheck. Florence County's point-in-time count identified 143 people experiencing homelessness in 2023, a number advocates say likely undercounts the reality on the ground. If you're here, United Ministries of Florence County runs a shelter and offers case management for people trying to get back on their feet. The Salvation Army of Florence provides meals, emergency assistance, and sometimes short-term lodging help, and PeeDee Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Assault can be a resource if you're fleeing violence and need safety alongside shelter. HopeHealth also serves low-income residents with free or sliding-scale medical care, which matters if you're managing a health issue without insurance. Florence isn't an easy place to be without a home, but there are people here who show up for that work every day. You are not invisible here, and you don't have to figure out every next step alone tonight.