We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Tracy And Sunshine Gantt. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Tracy and Sunshine below.
Tracy and Sunshine, thanks so much for taking the time to share your insights and lessons with us today. We’re particularly interested in hearing about how you became such a resilient person. Where do you get your resilience from?
Our resilience is rooted in our faith, lived experience, and an unwavering belief that purpose can rise from pain. My husband Tracy and I both know what it’s like to feel forgotten. We’ve been through addiction, incarceration, separation, homelessness, and even near-death experiences. But through it all, we held on to hope — and to God’s promises.
After rebuilding our lives, we felt called to create the very thing we once needed: a place to feel safe, seen, and supported. That calling became Pickens County Shelter of Hope, the first and only homeless shelter in our county — launched in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic. It hasn’t been easy. We’ve faced rejection, financial strain, and health challenges — including two hospitalizations and a Congestive Heart Failure diagnosis for me (Sunshine).
But resilience isn’t about never breaking. It’s about deciding, every single day, that someone else’s breakthrough might depend on your ability to keep going. We’ve seen lives changed, families reunited, and hope restored — and that’s what keeps us pushing.
Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
I co-founded Tracy and Sunshine Gantt Ministries alongside my husband, and together we launched Pickens County Shelter of Hope — the first and only homeless shelter in our entire county in South Carolina. What makes this work so meaningful is that we are not just founders; we are survivors. We’ve lived through homelessness, addiction, incarceration, and brokenness — and came out the other side with a calling to serve others walking similar paths.
Our organization is more than a shelter — it’s a place of healing, second chances, and spiritual restoration. We serve 50 to 60 men and women daily, including young adults aging out of foster care, seniors with no support, and those recently released from incarceration or evicted with nowhere else to go. We don’t just offer a bed and a meal — we offer dignity, community, and a chance to rebuild.
This year, we proudly celebrated 5 years of being open — a milestone built on faith, perseverance, and the support of everyday heroes. Since opening our doors in April 2020, we’ve served over 700 individuals annually and received recognition from local and state officials, as well as the Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award.
We’ve grown from just one live-in volunteer (our house manager) to a team of five live-in volunteer staff members who help keep the shelter running 24/7. Tracy serves as our House Manager, Brandi as Assistant House Manager, Josh as Maintenance Manager, Adam as Transportation Manager, and Mikey as our Third Shift Watchman. Their lived experience, dedication, and compassion are at the heart of everything we do.
We’ve never had a million-dollar donor or national backing — but we’ve had heart, grit, and an unshakable mission. As we continue to grow, our dream is to expand into a larger building, so we no longer have to turn anyone away. Our mission is urgent, and our impact is deep — and we hope more people will join us in this journey of compassion and transformation.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
Looking back, the three most impactful qualities in our journey have been resilience, compassion, and faith-driven leadership.
Resilience came from surviving homelessness, addiction, and illness while still showing up to serve others. we learned that endurance isn’t about never falling — it’s about rising every time you do.
Compassion gave us the strength to meet people where they are without judgment. When you’ve lived through pain, you understand the importance of offering grace. That’s what we’ve built our shelter on.
Faith-driven leadership has been the anchor of everything we do. When doors closed, when funding fell through, when people said it couldn’t be done — prayer and perseverance kept us going. Leadership isn’t about titles; it’s about obedience to a calling.
Our advice to anyone early in their journey: Don’t wait to feel fully ready. Start with what you have and where you are. Let your passion teach you, your failures shape you, and your faith carry you.
How can folks who want to work with you connect?
Absolutely — we’re always looking for compassionate, mission-driven individuals, organizations, and businesses who want to make a real impact. As the only homeless shelter in Pickens County, South Carolina, we operate with no government funding and rely heavily on community support.
Being a grassroots, Black-led organization in a rural community, we’re often overlooked for larger opportunities, even though we serve over 700 individuals annually with shelter, food, clothing, and hope. That’s why partnerships and support matter so much — they help us continue doing the work that truly changes lives. Whether it’s through funding, volunteer service, partnerships, or spreading the word, we welcome anyone who wants to join us in giving hope and dignity back to those in need.
If you’re reading this and your heart is tugged, that’s your invitation. Let’s connect.
Visit us at www.tsgministries.com or email us directly at gloryforhim2015@gmail.com.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.tsgministries.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pickenscountyshelterofhope/
Image Credits
All credits and rights are owned by Tracy and Sunshine Gantt, Tracy and Sunshine Gantt Ministries and Pickens County Shelter of Hope.
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
