Fayetteville Salvation Army's Pathway of Hope shelter closing

The Salvation Army's Hope Shelter on Alexander Street in Fayetteville is closing immediately. Leaders with the organization cite lack of funding as the issue, saying the Salvation Army has been operating at a deficit for months.
Posted 4/15/2025, 4:42:00 PM Updated 4/15/2025, 9:21:42 PM

IN A TEASER COAT THIS WEEK.

COMING UP.

>> ALRIGHT KAT, NEW TODAY.

A LOCAL SALVATION ARMY SHELTER

CLOSED ITS DOORS WITHOUT

WARNING. WE'RE TOLD THE

FAYETTEVILLE SHELTER CLOSED

BECAUSE OF A LACK OF FUNDING

AND THAT'S SHELTER HAS BEEN

OPERATING AT A DEFICIT FOR

MONTHS. THE BUREAU'S MONICA

CASEY IS LIVE ON ALEXANDER

STREET AFTER LOOKING INTO WHAT

HAPPENED. MONICA, SOME OF THESE

PEOPLE HAVE NOWHERE ELSE TO GO.

>> THAT'S RIGHT. PEOPLE WHO

STAYED HERE LAST NIGHT TELL ME

THEY WERE TOLD TO LEAVE EARLY

THIS MORNING AND NOT COME BACK.

A SIGN ON THE DOOR HERE SAYS

THE SHELTER IS CLOSED UNTIL

FURTHER NOTICE.

>> WHEN YOU COME HOME.

FIND SOMEWHERE FOR THEM TO GO

AWRY ON. THE NIQUE LESSING WAS

BORN IN MID FEBRUARY AND HAD TO

STAY IN THE HOSPITAL FOR WEEKS

WHEN HIS MOTHER, ANGEL MURRAY,

RETURNED HOME AFTER HER C

SECTION, SHE FOUND HER HOUSE

BROKEN INTO AND DESTROY.

I WENT TO THE SALVATION ARMY

FOR HELP AND THEY GOT IT.

WHILE HER SON STAYS WITH

FAMILY, MURRAY HAS BEEN

REBUILDING STAYING AT THE

SALVATION ARMY AND RECENTLY

GETTING A JOB AT WENDY'S.

>> BUT THAT FRESH START HIT

A ROADBLOCK THIS MORNING.

AND MURRAY IS RUNNING OUT OF

HOPE. WE GOT WOKE UP FOR THEM

AND PHAM, EVERYONE HAS TO BE

ABOUT 9 O'CLOCK AND YOU MUST

TAKE ALL YOUR BELONGINGS WITH

YOU BECAUSE WE'RE CLOSING DOWN

AND THAT PERMANENTLY SALVATION

ARMY MAJOR AARON GOLDFARB SAYS

THEY HAVE NO FUNDING PARTNERS

AND THEY CANNOT CONTINUE TO

OFFER SHELTER WITHOUT FUNDING

WRITING, QUOTE, THIS DIFFICULT

DECISION WEIGHS HEAVILY ON ALL

OF US AS WE UNDERSTAND THE

VITAL ROLE, THIS SHELTER PLACE

IN OUR COMMUNITY, ACCORDING

TO THEIR 2023 ANNUAL REPORT,

THE SALVATION ARMY OF THE

SANDHILLS PROVIDED 17,950

NIGHTS OF SHELTER.

>> THAT REPORT SAYS THEIR

REVENUE COMES FROM GOVERNMENT

AND OTHER AGENCIES. SPECIAL

EVENTS. THERE'S THRIFT STORE

AND DONATIONS.

>> CUMBERLAND COUNTY COMMISSION

CHAIR KIRK TO THE AIR TELLS ME

THEY ARE DEEPLY CONCERNED ABOUT

THE CLOSURE SAYING, QUOTE, THIS

SHELTER HAS BEEN A VITAL

RESOURCE FOR OUR MOST

VULNERABLE RESIDENTS AND ITS

CLOSURE CREATES A GAP IN OUR

COMMUNITIES. SAFETY NET.

NOW, MURRAY FEELS LIKE SHE'S

FALLING THROUGH THE CRACKS

HOMELESS FROM THE HOMELESS

SHELTER. I DON'T KNOW WHERE

TO GO.

>> AND THE ONLY PLACE THAT

DIDN'T KNOW TO GO OUT CAME OUT

FROM THERE. THE REST OF THE

PEOPLE ARE TOO.

>> THE SALVATION ARMY TELLS ME

THEY ARE STILL SERVING FOOD

HERE EACH EVENING. THEY ALSO

SAY THEY HAVE FOUND HOUSING FOR

THE FAMILIES OF THEIR WORTH.

26 SINGLE MEN AND WOMEN,

INCLUDING MURRAY. THE

NON-PROFIT SAYS THEY ARE STILL

WORKING TO HELP PEOPLE LIKE HER