A young man stops on his way out the door to thank Robert Harris, executive director of Zion Shelter and Kitchen. It’s clear the young man is a newcomer to the free meals served at lunchtime, Mondays through Fridays. Harris is brusque in his acknowledgement of the gratitude — he’s been doing this for almost 30 years. He’s seen many people come and go at the Washington shelter. He’s seen funding come and go. In the last few years, the funding has mostly gone.

“Our reserves are not quite where they need to be for this time of year,” Harris said.

For the 12-bed men’s shelter, making it through the rest of the year has become a concern. Over the past several years, Department of Housing and Urban Development Emergency Shelter Grant funding, dispensed by the state, has decreased, as has funding from local sources like the City of Washington. According to Harlan McKendrick, treasurer for Zion’s board, it takes approximately $50,000 a year to operate the shelter and kitchen. Gaskins and Harris are the only paid employees; the remaining funds go to filling other needs, mainly utilities and supplies.

According to Harris and shelter manager Jonathan Gaskins, the shelter receives many donations from its community partners: First Presbyterian Church of Washington makes a quarterly donation; St. Peter’s Episcopal Church donates its congregation’s offerings from every fourth Sunday of the month; Grace Lutheran supplies pre-prepared lunch meals once a month; and many other churches collect food and men’s supplies for donation. North Carolina Wildlife Resources regularly drops off illegal fish catches confiscated from local fishermen and Food Lion donates meat on its expiration date.

“We get tons of donations as far as food goes,” Gaskins said.

But food is not the issue. Operating expenses are. As the only homeless shelter in Beaufort County, those expenses ensure a much-needed service is provided for those with no other options, Gaskins said.

“The people who come and stay here are the disenfranchised, down and out, just out of prison, and have nowhere else to go,” Gaskins said.

The shelter numbers vary from night to night; 120 days is the maximum a person can stay. Technically, the shelter opens at 10 p.m., but sometimes the doors open earlier because of bad weather. During the day, the men leave their belongings behind, most returning for the free lunch offered at 11 a.m., before leaving again for the day. There are those with mental problems and struggles with addiction; some are local, while others are just passing through, following seasonal work, Gaskins said.

“Most of them don’t have more than they can carry,” McKendrick said.

The numbers of those seeking shelter are increasing, Gaskins said, though the money to provide it has dwindled.

“When we opened, it was to get people out of the slum area,” Harris said, explaining that alcohol and drug problems had impacted the surrounding neighborhood in many ways, from its appearance to safety. “Our purpose for opening up then was to get the drunks off the street.”

But that purpose has changed, as the times have changed. Gaskins largely attributes Zion’s rising numbers to the disappearance of local industry. When the shelter first opened in 1986, there was plenty of unskilled employment to be found at businesses like Moss Planing Mill, Hamilton Beach, National Spinning; men could find daily work in the tobacco fields. With work, they could afford their own shelter.

“They can’t do that anymore. They don’t have educations — most of them didn’t get past the eighth grade,” Gaskins said. “This area is poor. They don’t have jobs. There’s nothing for them to do.”

Gaskins said the shelter is not only in dire need of funding, but in need of expansion. Beaufort County does not have a homeless facility for women or children — Ruth’s House houses domestic violence victims only, he said. Every week, he fields 15 calls from women in search of a place to stay for themselves and their children.

“All I can do is direct them to Kinston and Greenville — and they’re full. They’ve got 10 times the population that we’ve got,” Gaskins said. “Twelve beds is not enough, even for the male population. … We need to expand. The homeless population is getting larger.”

To get the word out, Gaskins is exploring setting up more of an Internet presence with Facebook and a crowd-funding GoFundMe account. However, the focus for now is on seeking monetary donations from local individuals and businesses.

“What we need is for concerned residents to donate,” Gaskins said.

For more information, call 252-975-1978 during shelter hours, from 9 a.m. to noon. Donations can also be sent to Zion Shelter and Kitchen, P.O. Box 2324, Washington, NC  27889. Donations of men’s toiletries are also needed: shaving cream, razors, toothbrushes, toothpaste, soap and deodorant.