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Parker Evatt honored as Alston Wilkes Society names homeless veterans facility for him

COLUMBIA—A transitional facility for homeless veterans has been named in honor of Parker Evatt, a longtime United Methodist state leader.

It has been named the Parker Evatt Veterans Home.

On Wednesday, June 1, the Alston Wilkes Society recognized Evatt with a ceremony in which the facility was named in his honor.

Born in Greenville in 1935, Evatt graduated from the University of South Carolina with a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering and a master’s degree in criminal justice. Evatt would go on to serve as the first executive director for the Alston Wilkes Society from 1966-1987. He would also serve as the representative for Richland County in the South Carolina State House before becoming the director of the South Carolina Department of Corrections, where he oversaw operations from 1987-1995.

Opened in 1996 in partnership with the Veterans Administration, the newly named Parker Evatt Veterans Home was the first of its kind in South Carolina, allowing veterans the opportunity to receive shelter, counseling and other services as they work to become productive members of their community. Each year the Columbia facility helps around 70 veterans find stable housing and employment.

The Alston Wilkes Society has served South Carolina communities since 1962. Along with their two Supportive Services for Veteran Families offices, AWS operates four residential reentry centers for justice-involved individuals, two transitional facilities for homeless veterans, a high-management youth home in Columbia and eight community service offices throughout South Carolina.

Their mission is rebuilding lives for a safer community.

An Advance Special Ministry of The United Methodist Church, the Alston Wilkes Society is a nonprofit organization that provides offenders, former offenders, the homeless, at-risk youth, veterans and their families the tools they need to become productive citizens.

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