About Us:
Mercy Drops Dream Center is a faith-based, volunteer-driven charitable organization that exists to find the forgotten and help them build a firm foundation so they will flourish in life.
Located in Portsmouth, Virginia, Mercy Drops Dream Center is dedicated to partnering with our community by working alongside those experiencing homelessness, individuals, and families in under-resourced neighborhoods, veterans, as well as youth and seniors in the foster care system.
Since 2012, Mercy Drops Dream Center has worked alongside community leaders, visionaries, and volunteers to build foundations by meeting immediate physical needs such as food, clothing, and shelter. Once these needs have been met, we connect with them with opportunities that lead to full life transformations. Each step of the process—every outreach and program—is always free of charge.
Our mission is to build lasting relationships within the community that bring hope alive. We offer always-free resources and create joyful experiences. Most importantly, we connect people in need with a supportive community—one that meets both immediate and long-term needs.
Located in Portsmouth, Virginia, Mercy Drops Dream Center is dedicated to partnering with our community by working alongside those experiencing homelessness, individuals, and families in under-resourced neighborhoods, veterans, as well as youth and seniors in the foster care system.
Since 2012, Mercy Drops Dream Center has worked alongside community leaders, visionaries, and volunteers to build foundations by meeting immediate physical needs such as food, clothing, and shelter. Once these needs have been met, we connect with them with opportunities that lead to full life transformations. Each step of the process—every outreach and program—is always free of charge.
Our mission is to build lasting relationships within the community that bring hope alive. We offer always-free resources and create joyful experiences. Most importantly, we connect people in need with a supportive community—one that meets both immediate and long-term needs.
Our Values: |
At Mercy Drops Dream Center, what we do is important—but how we do it matters even more. Our values aren’t just words on a wall; they are the driving force behind every care package, every conversation, every community event. They guide our decisions, shape our culture, and remind us why we serve.
Joe Friszolowski | Founder & Chief Dream Officer
Joe Friszolowski was born in Norfolk, Virginia, and currently resides in Portsmouth with his wife, Sandy, and their son, EJ.
Joe graduated from Christopher Newport University with a degree in Psychology and found himself running multiple businesses shortly after graduation. Fresh out of college and beginning to launch fully into the world, his lifelong struggles with sexual and drug addictions caught up with him. He found himself alone, feeling forgotten by God, friends, and family.
During that time, Mercy Drops Dream Center was a vision sparked by the growing knowledge of who he could be, his heart for the forgotten like him, and a dream of what would happen when people came together to make dreams a reality.
Today, Joe is an engaged member of his community and aims to build relationships with people exactly where they are—from individuals experiencing homelessness in downtown Portsmouth to CEOs and COOs of local and national businesses. He understands that the heart of helping people flourish begins with authentic relationships and is constantly looking for ways to bridge gaps between individuals and the steps they need to take to thrive. You can find Joe's passion for finding the forgotten and loving people well woven throughout every part of Mercy Drops Dream Center—from the mission to the values to the fact that the work never stops!
Joe graduated from Christopher Newport University with a degree in Psychology and found himself running multiple businesses shortly after graduation. Fresh out of college and beginning to launch fully into the world, his lifelong struggles with sexual and drug addictions caught up with him. He found himself alone, feeling forgotten by God, friends, and family.
During that time, Mercy Drops Dream Center was a vision sparked by the growing knowledge of who he could be, his heart for the forgotten like him, and a dream of what would happen when people came together to make dreams a reality.
Today, Joe is an engaged member of his community and aims to build relationships with people exactly where they are—from individuals experiencing homelessness in downtown Portsmouth to CEOs and COOs of local and national businesses. He understands that the heart of helping people flourish begins with authentic relationships and is constantly looking for ways to bridge gaps between individuals and the steps they need to take to thrive. You can find Joe's passion for finding the forgotten and loving people well woven throughout every part of Mercy Drops Dream Center—from the mission to the values to the fact that the work never stops!
