Our Vision Is Our Mission

Determined Friends mission is to prevent OWI’s support victims of drunk driving and protect our community from drinking and driving with education and support programs.

How it Began

Determined Friends, Inc. was founded in 2008 by Brenda Pendleton-Hoskins. On October 4, 1996 Brenda at 17 years old plans and dreams disintegrated in a fatal drunk driving accident. This accident killed her 24 year old sister Karlynda Stallworth and nearly took her life as well. Doctors said Brenda only had a twenty percent chance of survival. Brenda was hospitalized for 8 consecutive months. She has undergone 24 major operations in the past 14 years, ranging from plastic surgery to reconstructive surgery. She overcame her limitations using her personality, confidence and determination. Brenda and a few likeminded professionals formed Determined Friends, Inc. with goals to prevent drunken driving crimes. Approximately 250,000 people have died from alcohol related driving incidents in the past 10 years. Unfortunately this is our founder and President reality. She believes that giving back to the community is her way of thanking God for sparing and having mercy on her life.

Programs

• School and Organization Prevention Programs (Leadership and Responsibility Movement Program)
• Designated Driving Services Free Ride after 5 (We drive you and your car home safe and professionally)
• Victims Support Services of a drunk driving crime

We welcome volunteers, drivers, fundraisers and special event coordinators. People are dying and getting hurt every day to alcohol related crashes. Drunk driving is 100% preventable and you can help us stop this crime. If you drink don’t drive be safe not sorry!

Determined Friends, Inc. recognizes the needs of victims and their families. As the organization continue to mature, our mission will remain steadfast. We will provide a way to ease the financial losses to innocent people and continue our mission to eliminate drunk driving crimes.

"Victim" means a person who is injured or killed as a result of a compensable crime committed against the victim in the State of Michigan.
"Compensable Crime" means an intentional, knowing or reckless act by a person resulting in physical and/or emotional injury and/or death of another person which would be punishable as a crime.