Coastal Carolina Center for Hope and Healing reports shelter use surge, says expansion planning underway

Jim Daub, representing the Coastal Carolina Center for Hope and Healing, told the Craven County Board of Commissioners that the nonprofit’s demand for shelter and crisis services has risen sharply in the first half of fiscal year 2025.

Daub said the center recorded 283 shelter nights in fiscal year 2024 and 1,374 shelter nights so far through December of fiscal year 2025. He said crisis calls rose from 299 for the full fiscal year 2024 to 863 so far in 2025, and crisis counseling hours increased from 135 last year to 412 year-to-date.

The increase, Daub said, includes higher numbers of female, male and child intakes and more court advocacy contacts — 238 last year versus 341 so far this year. “The donation that, through your generous grant to our agency, is doing powerful work,” Daub said. He thanked county commissioners for prior support and invited them to tour the new facility on Trent Road.

Daub said the shelter has been “consistently full” and that the organization has begun planning for a new facility and additional land to expand capacity. When asked what happens when the shelter is full, Daub said the center has worked with neighboring counties, arranged bus tickets so some clients can reach family in other cities, and tried to identify family placements. He said the agency has not used paid hotel placements so far because of cost.

Daub also urged individual contributions to a matching grant and announced the Rotary Club of New Bern will sponsor a fundraising event on March 7 at the New Bern Convention Center. He noted 2025 is the agency’s 40th anniversary and that the organization expects to announce additional plans this year.

Ending: Commissioners thanked Daub and the agency staff for their work and for the update. No formal action was requested or taken by the board during the presentation.