More Than 40 Years of Meeting the Need
Over the years, Good Shepherd Center has evolved alongside the needs of our community, growing from a small, neighbor-led effort to feed neighbors into the Cape Fear region’s most comprehensive resource for individuals and families experiencing hunger and homelessness.
Founded in 1983 as a modest meal program, Good Shepherd was built on a simple but powerful belief: that everyone deserves dignity, nourishment, and a safe place to land. As Wilmington grew and the realities of homelessness became more complex, so did our response.
What began with meals expanded to include Night Shelter for those in immediate crisis, a Day Shelter that offered safety and basic services during the day, an on-site Medical Clinic that reduced barriers to care, and case management that helped people move toward stability. Together, these services created a more complete model of care, one that addressed both urgent needs and the deeper barriers that can keep someone homeless.
That evolution eventually led to the Sgt. Eugene Ashley Center providing Bridge Housing for Veterans experiencing homelessness, and later to Permanent Supportive Housing for chronically homeless individuals with significant disabilities. Together, these programs marked an important shift from crisis response alone to long-term solutions centered on stability, housing retention, and independence.e.
Today, Good Shepherd continues to grow with purpose. Through the Home for Good campaign and the development of new Permanent Supportive Housing and a larger family shelter, we are building on decades of experience to meet the future needs of our region. Every milestone in our history reflects the same guiding principle that shaped our beginning: thoughtful, community-driven solutions that help people move from crisis to stability.
“Good Shepherd gave me a safe place to sleep when I had nowhere else to go. That first night mattered more than I can explain.”
Former Guest