Community Resource Center marks seven years of helping homeless

Annette Johnson could not have been happier. The program director of the Community Resource Center was celebrating the seventh anniversary of the organization’s full-day program to serve the homeless in Sussex County.

Johnson was also excited that a key federal housing program is once again available for clients.

It is called Section 8. The waitlist for low-income housing vouchers just reopened in February after being closed for 15 years.

“It allows folks, when they qualify for Section 8, to apply for housing, predominantly apartments they can afford, with rent anywhere from zero to $200. This will help ease this whole crisis with homelessness,” Johnson said.

She said they have already had 25 people apply.

Johnson said CRC has not lost any funding, but she is concerned about the impact if federal grants start to go away.

“We don’t rely on federal funding, but our partners do. So, our ability to connect our clients with other funding and partners would be greatly diminished,” she said.

CRC provides a safe environment for about 20 people per day, seven days per week at its facility on Oyster House Road in Rehoboth Beach.

The shelter received eight new people during the week of Feb. 17.

“A few have come from Pennsylvania. A couple of others came from Milford. Some are just drifting. There’s a mental health component to it,” said Bethany Atkins, the day shelter coordinator.

In 2024, the CRC day program had 3,885 points of service, most from serving breakfast and lunch, according to Executive Director Nancy Alexander.

People come for a hot meal, a hot shower, do their laundry and take advantage of case management services. CRC partners with organizations like Beebe Healthcare, La Red Health Center, Brandywine Counseling Services and more.

The organization also helps people who are behind on rent, mortgage or car payments to try to prevent more homelessness.

They also gave away about 2,000 donated winter coats, gloves and socks this year.

“Homeless people are hard on shoes and socks, because they walk a lot,” Alexander said.

The CRC’s winter services opened for the season Dec. 1 and will close April 11. But, its doors are open year-round for case management services and for people to rest.

Last year, CRC launched Code Orange, a program that opened its shelter on weekends in July to help people escape the heat. That was in addition to its regular hours of 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Monday through Friday. Alexander said they expect to have Code Orange again this year.

She said a grant from the Unitarian Universalists allowed the organization to hire a service navigator.

The City of Lewes recently gave CRC $10,000 from its American Rescue Plan Act funds. Alexander said that money will allow CRC to have a service navigator come in once a week through the summer. She said they will also be able to pay people on the weekends during the hottest months.

“The notion is not just to keep the doors open, but when they’re here, we provide connections to our partner organizations,” Alexander said.

Future of Code Purple village

CRC coordinates with Code Purple to provide nearly around-the-clock shelter all winter.

Mike Agnew, Code Purple’s volunteer coordinator, said as many as 21 men fill the overnight shelter at St. Jude the Apostle church outside Lewes. As many as 14 women stay at the shelter at the Lutheran Church of Our Savior outside Rehoboth Beach.

Code Purple provides a shuttle bus to take them to CRC at 7:30 every morning, making for an almost seamless experience.

The Code Purple overnight shelters close for the season Friday, March 14. 

The Tharros tent village is expected to open the next day for its second season at the former Troop 7 location on Coastal Highway near Lewes.

The village was able to open last year because of an agreement between Code Purple and the state’s Office of Management and Budget.

Agnew said he has had positive discussions with the Meyer administration about continuing the tent village in that location. But, as of Feb. 27, there had been no formal agreement. Agnew said he has no reason to believe Tharros, which is Greek for courage, won’t happen.

The City of Lewes gave Code Purple $14,000 in American Rescue Plan Act funds for a fence and utility hookups at the location. Agnew said he is still working on getting those things in place for this season. He said there is space for 28 tents, plus portable toilets and a dumpster.

Agnew said there is an application process for anyone who wants to live at Tharros.

“They pay for it by going to case management,” Agnew said.

He said they partner with First State Community Action Agency, Beebe Healthcare and others for services.

Charles “C.R.” McLeod, DelDOT director of community relations, said the salt barn currently at the site will remain. He there has been no determination regarding the fence.