The Pate House is a non-profit 501(c)(3) community based organization located in the quaint fishing village of McClellanville, SC. The Pate House was formed to help ex-felons get back into the workforce. While we still prioritize this segment of the community we do not turn down others requesting help in the community and the surrounding Charleston area. It is our belief that many of these unemployed/under-employed people can avoid prison and recidivism with our charity work and intervention. We are experiencing a growing interest and need in the community to bridge the transition from unemployment to employment.
The Pate House focuses on connecting people. We help bridge the gap between those who need to get hired with employers looking to hire. On a tangible level, employment is the key. Steady employment has the power to both deter people from crime and motivate law-abiding behavior. Unemployment, on the other hand, has been found to relate closely to substance abuse, depression, crime and other negative outcomes.
This impact can be seen on a practical level, as steady employment enables people to meet their basic needs for housing, food, clothing, and transportation. A steady income also affords people the means to pay various debts that they may owe to individuals and the state, including child support, court fees, damages, suspended driver’s licenses and restitution.
On an intangible level, employment meets a key need for social connection and feelings of community contribution and self-worth. Working a job can help a person develop positive identity and self-image through being able to provide for themselves and their families. Their contribution can generate more personal support and enable them to develop stronger positive relationships among family members and the community in which they live. These benefits affect the psychological well-being of individuals and promote their ongoing success.
Vision
To provide an economic and spiritual bridge for ex-offenders, homeless and disadvantaged people striving to regain the basic necessities of life in order to restore hope in themselves and their future while achieving economic stability so that they are able to rejoin their community as full and active citizens.
Mission
To provide leadership in and form partnerships with private and public sector institutions to improve the quality of life for individuals. Throughout The Pate House is a comprehensive network of services, as people transform from prison, homelessness and disadvantaged to having basic needs met; transitioning to life skills development; to a self-sufficient and productive lifestyle.
“Advancing job opportunities for the unemployed in our community”, is our main concern. They will have a real chance to become productive citizens in the community in which they live. Our goal is to find jobs for individuals that lack the ability, experience, confidence or skills to find and apply for jobs. The Pate House is a place where people can receive services and not be judged for their past. Helping Other People Everyday (“HOPE”) is our tagline.