Agency History      

The Waccamaw Youth Center is committed to providing the at-risk youth of South Carolina with a safe and comforting "Place To Call Home."

Originally founded in 1988 as Advocating for Children’s Community Treatment, the Waccamaw Youth Center was incorporated in April of 1991 in response to study by several state human service agencies-each of which recognized a critical lack of housing for our target population.  Most foster homes are unwilling to accept male teens, and teens with histories of neglect and abuse are often among the most difficult to place.  As an inevitable result, our target population is at particular risk of repeated moves between homes unsuited to meeting their behavioral and emotional needs, or placement outside of their community or state altogether.  For teens already at-risk, this further disruption greatly compromises even the most well-intentioned efforts to assist in their recovery, foster their personal and academic development, and reunite them with their families.  Waccamaw Youth Center was pleased to open in February of 2001 and begin providing a therapeutic “Place To Call Home” for up to 16 abused, abandoned, and/or neglected teenager boys.