Urban Ministries new Hope Day Center.

DURHAM – Although Durham’s homeless might secure a bed at a night shelter, they often can’t find a safe, comfortable place in the daytime.

Urban Ministries of Durham opened its Hope Day Center last week, which provides a stable environment and essential resources weekdays from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

“The Hope Day Center is about more than just providing a roof during the day; it’s about dignity and progress,” UMD Executive Director Sheldon Mitchell said in a release. “By offering everything from hot showers to workforce development in one location, we are helping our neighbors move closer to permanent stability.”

People can enter the building on Liberty Street just a block from the Main Public Library to find coffee, water and light refreshments while they wait for intake, UMD Residential Operations Director Shona Wyr told The Tribune. They can also enjoy books, magazines, puzzles, and board and card games.

“Everyone needs to be accounted for,” Wyr said. Volunteers and staff will connect anyone seeking resources for housing, employment and food through their community partners, like Families Moving Forward, Housing for New Hope and Lincoln Community Health. 

People can access computers for resumes and cover letters, apply for jobs, research legal information like identification and public services or simply check messages. Lockers are also available to securely charge their devices instead of using the Main Library.

“People can come in and just be,” Wyr said. “There’s no eating at the library, and you’re not allowed to sleep, so people can come here and put their head down and take a nap if they want to.”

Wyr said she expects at least 30 people to come through the Day Center. “When I first started here, my thought process of homelessness was very different,” she said. “We get people from all walks of life. Sometimes I don’t see people because they’re working two or three jobs.”

Case management lasts between two weeks to a month. “Each situation is different,” Wyr said. “Sometimes there are senior citizens who sold their property or someone passed away, or college students who can’t afford to stay in their dorms, or people who are choosing Medicare or health care versus housing.”

Urban Ministries serves nine families with children, including 62 men and 14 women. Operations coordinator India Howard said most of the people they serve are Black men between their late 30s to 50s. Often, they are stuck in a cycle. “It’s usually mental health and substance abuse,” Howard said. “The struggles come and that leads to drug use, which affects the mental health. Maybe their coping mechanism is drug use, and their living situation doesn’t help at all.”

Urban Ministries provides mental health counseling in a group setting, which Howard said tends to be supportive for the people they serve.

In addition to serving breakfast and a bagged lunch in the mornings, plus a hot dinner at 6 p.m., the building also has one available shower. The Day Center will bring a mobile shower and laundry trucks to the community as well. 

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