SHelter

Each year, UMD offers emergency shelter to nearly 850 homeless adults and children in Durham. We are the primary public shelter for single men and women, and we serve as the backup shelter for families where we host 9 family rooms.

UMD welcomes all neighbors regardless of race, ethnicity, religious beliefs or non-faith, sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability. Using the best practices of Housing First and low-barrier philosophies, we seek to reduce barriers that prevent homeless neighbors from taking advantage of an emergency shelter stay while focusing their stay on obtaining housing as quickly and responsibly as possible.

To give you the best shot of ending your homelessness, you need to first complete an intake with Entry Point Durham. Information you provide at intake helps identify a program that best fits your needs. In fact, you may not need a shelter stay!

We have a main journey path that we encourage everyone to take. This journey includes working with a case manager, developing a housing plan, and receiving helpful referrals--all with the goal of ending your homelessness for good. However, this journey is not mandated. Not everyone is ready to take this step, but one may need emergency housing until they are ready. Everyone receives a 30-day check-in and exit date to keep their homelessness brief. Most clients will continue to work toward their housing goals with their case manager.

Clients are assigned a clinically trained case manager who will help you: Navigate housing, income, and wellness while on your journey; Collaborate with you to create a Housing Plan; Set goals that need to be accomplished to leave the shelter for your own apartment; Identify income goals that best fit your needs and make appropriate referrals, including to our in-house workforce development program; Create wellness goals for your mind, body, and spirit.