Keeping Up With The Demand For Food And Shelter

More beds are available for the homeless in Durham as the need for shelters continues to rise across North Carolina.  The Durham Rescue Mission has opened a new facility with beds for 88 men as well as a large kitchen and dining area.  The Triangle is among North Carolina's metropolitan areas where more people are looking for a meal and a place to sleep.  Durham Rescue Mission COO Rob Tart says shelters are also trying to adapt to new needs for the homeless population.

"I've been doing this for 17 years and we had very few intact families that showed up 17 years ago," says Tart.

"But today, it's almost a regular occurrence, so the need is not just increasing in number, but the actual dynamic of the homeless person is changing."

The shelter raised $4.5 million in donations to build the new facility.  Tart says the Rescue Mission also hopes to add transitional housing to give those in the shelter a more permanent home.