Hosted by local area churches which rotate monthly, the Family Emergency Shelter (for women and children) and the Emergency Shelter (for men) provide overnight shelter for those throughout Cumberland County experiencing homelessness 365 days a year. Based on space and availability, CARES has the resources to shelter 65 individuals a night.

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Our family shelter evolved as the needs of homeless families continued to grow in the Cumberland County area. Initially, families were sheltered in hotels paid for by CARES. Over time, it made more sense to shelter the families at the host facilities. 

Our resource center is a day center where residents receive supportive services and access to other necessary basic needs including a place to do laundry, take showers, receive mail, make phone calls, cook meals, and rest when they are ill or working nights.

Cyberspace, a staffed community computer lab, provides access to internet and computer programs to complete housing searches and applications, resumes, job applications, schoolwork and online courses. 

Community CARES began a Street Outreach program during 2018. The goal of Street Outreach is to engage, assess, and combat homelessness for individuals living on the streets, in encampment and other locations not intended for human habitation. Outreach staff work to build trust with those experiencing homelessness first by helping to meet some of their basic needs (including food, clothing, showers, laundry, transportation, identification, etc.). The street reach coordinator works with each individual to access housing, employment, medical care, mental health care, substance abuse treatment, and other services while advocating for housing solutions for clients.