Community Crossroads Center Board of Directors has endorsed a plan to construct a new structure to expand services for the homeless in Pitt County. The addition will be adjacent to the current structure where the dormitories and dining facility are housed and the proposed space will include a medical clinic, daycare services for frail residents, after school resources for school age residents, an education and career center, conference space for community activities, administrative space and storage. A wing in the existing building will be converted to rooms to accommodate families with minor children. These services have all been curtailed since the school building next to the shelter became uninhabitable in 2020 due to rising maintenance, repair and utility costs. Additionally, the global pandemic further constrained operations. “Since the onset of Covid, we have had to decrease our census to maintain social distancing and provide for isolation when needed. As a result, many services, including serving families have been on hold” according to executive director Charles Young.

The Board has explored options for expansion of services over the past six months.Restoring the school building was extensively investigated as well as constructing a new building. After consulting with preservation specialists, city and county officials, donors and grantors, the board voted to demolish the existing structure in favor of building a new facility to meet the needs of residents of the shelter and the community.

“The decision was a hard one – one that we did not arrive at easily,” stated board president Janet Moye, “We all hoped we could restore the school but in the end it was cost- and time- prohibitive. Our mission first and foremost is to serve our residents and provide the resources they need to maintain dignity and regain their self-sufficiency”.

The new structure will be approximately 10,000 square feet and will take about a year to complete. Past president David Collier is chairing the capital campaign to fund the initiative. The shelter has been in continuous operation for 35 years. It first opened in1987 as a men’s only shelter. In 2015 the current facility opened and can accommodate98 residents at full capacity. The shelter is a non-profit organization and relies largely on private donors to fund operations. To learn more about Community Crossroads Center visit our website at www.greenvillecommunityshelter.org.