The new shelter, located near Eden Village and Creekwood, will accommodate up to 75 residents, including men, women, and families. City Councilmember Luke Waddell gave remarks about the plans at the construction announcement, describing what the facility will offer.
"A full-service kitchen and laundry service that ensures the basic needs of the residents are met. [And] a life skills program that's designed to empower residents with the skills and employment opportunities that they need to become productive members of our community, embodying the ethos of a hand up, rather than a hand out," Waddell said.
Ken Morris of The Salvation Army of Cape Fear said the shelter will open by spring of 2025.
Local advocates for the unhoused had hoped the shelter would open earlier. Asked about the delay in starting construction, he said, “We are a very conservative organization. And we work mainly with cash. And so the largest holdup was to get the cash in hand. And so basically, we got to that point, and we are thrilled now with the fact that this sitework, the street, and the first building is completely paid for. There is no line of credit. There is no outstanding debt or mortgage. We have all the cash available.”
Related: Closing of downtown Wilmington Salvation Army could leave support gap until new facility opens
Ronnie Raymer oversees Salvation Army work in North and South Carolina. He says he’s excited for the future of the shelter.
"With one main goal in mind. And that's to bring men women and children into a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. In whatever way we can do that," he said.
With 232 unsheltered people in the Cape Fear Region at the 2023 point in time count, the new shelter will certainly fill part of a very large need.
