Cumberland County Approves $1M Contract With Salvation Army for Emergency Homeless Shelter Services

Cumberland County commissioners voted to hire the Salvation Army for homeless shelter services with payments not to exceed $1 million. The board unanimously approved contract negotiations on Monday.

The agreement calls for the organization to provide 67 year-round beds at the emergency shelter. It would also provide 50 more beds during white flag events, which happen when temperatures drop to dangerous levels or other harsh conditions threaten lives.

The commissioners also voted to hire the Manna Dream Center. This group will operate a planned $17 million Unhoused Support Center with 100 beds, providing temporary housing and other services.

The Manna Dream Center's plan calls for a budget of $439,320 to cover two years of preparations before opening. Once the center starts operating, the annual budget will be $2.89 million.

Four organizations submitted proposals to run the center. The board held a groundbreaking in February 2024 on Hawley Lane in the B Street neighborhood downtown, but decided this year to look for other possible locations.

The county lacks a government-operated shelter to help people in need get off the streets. Stabilizing their personal situations matters. Moving into permanent housing is the goal.

The Salvation Army closed its Pathway of Hope shelter at 245 Alexander St. in April. The closure was abrupt, putting 50 to 60 people on the street. Contract negotiations in May and June to reopen the shelter ended after commissioners learned that a health inspection found problems with the building. The agency also owed $100,000 to a staffing service.

The local Salvation Army has come under new management since then, commissioners said. The city contracts with the Dream Center to run the Fayetteville Cares Day Resource Center, which offers assistance and services to homeless people.