Wilmington faces gaps in services for people experiencing homelessness
WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — As temperatures are expected to drop in the coming weeks, Wilmington’s warming shelter is preparing to provide a safe place for people to escape the cold. But as local organizations navigate closures and uncertainty surrounding future shelter options, advocates say gaps in resources continue to leave people experiencing homelessness without reliable places to turn.
“The state of homelessness in Wilmington is ever-changing,” said Warming Shelter director Meg McBride.
That ongoing change makes it difficult for McBride to address the needs of the community, particularly as daytime services remain limited.
Living Hope Day Center has paused operations after losing its space at First Baptist Church. Plans to relocate to the former Sorrow Drowner property also fell through, adding to concerns about the availability of services for people experiencing homelessness. Meanwhile, renewed calls for tighter zoning restrictions on shelters have added another challenge.
“What it takes away from people is access,” said McBride.
The Warming Shelter operates out of the fellowship hall at Grace United Methodist Church. It provides cots, food, personal care items, and a safe place to rest overnight when temperatures are forecast to fall below 30 degrees for two consecutive nights.
Unlike the warming shelter, Living Hope Day Center operated exclusively during the day. McBride says its closure has left a significant gap in services, particularly for people who need a safe place to go outside of overnight shelter hours.
“There’s not a lot of people working in the downtown area that can provide what a day center provides, and so people have lost access to a safe space, and there isn’t an easily identifiable alternative space where people can go to at this moment,” said McBride.
With daytime resources limited, Wilmington City Council members have also debated how to address the need for additional services.
Councilwoman Salette Andrews cited figures from the annual Point-in-Time count, a nationwide effort to estimate the number of people experiencing homelessness on a given night, saying, “The numbers demonstrate that we have a significant gap between the number of people experiencing homelessness and the shelter options available to them. According to the January 2026 Point-in-Time Count, 610 people were identified as experiencing homelessness in our regional Continuum of Care service area. Of those, 287 were unsheltered, while 323 were staying in emergency shelters or transitional housing. Approximately 88% of the people counted were in New Hanover County. The count increased from 506 in 2025, although improved outreach, additional shelter capacity, and unusually cold weather may have contributed to identifying more people.”
The city is also continuing to assess the possibility of establishing a low-barrier shelter downtown, potentially operated by an organization such as LINC. Low-barrier shelters are designed to reduce obstacles that can prevent people from accessing shelter.
For McBride, however, the immediate concern remains where people can go during the day while longer-term solutions are considered.
“Where is the safe place to be for 80 to 100 people on any given Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday morning?” said McBride.
