Cove Shelter is Transylvania County’s only low-barrier emergency winter shelter, providing safe overnight accommodations to individuals and families experiencing homelessness without a waitlist or background check requirement. Operating from November through March, the shelter offers up to 21 guests per night a warm place to sleep, hot meals, showers, clothing, and connection to community resources. From November 2025 through early 2026, Cove Shelter served more than 1,800 individuals — a figure that includes overnight guests as well as community members who accessed meals, showers, clothing assistance, and case coordination services.
The shelter serves a broad population: men, women, and children who are unsheltered, temporarily displaced, fleeing unsafe living situations, facing eviction, or living in vehicles during the winter months. Many guests face compounding vulnerabilities including mental health challenges, chronic health conditions, or extremely low income.
Grant funding will help sustain the staffing infrastructure necessary to operate the shelter safely and effectively, including a seasonal manager and maintenance and cleaning services — roles critical to the shelter’s continued growth and operational stability.
Cove Shelter partners with the Sharing House, The Haven, Transylvania County DSS, The Family Place, the Children’s Center, and local law enforcement to provide coordinated support, connecting guests to housing resources, benefits enrollment, mental health services, and transitional housing opportunities. These partnerships allow Cove Shelter to function as a coordinated entry point for individuals and families in crisis across Transylvania County.