Press Release: COMMUNITY DAY CENTER INITIATIVE ENTERS NEXT PHASE AS OPEN DOOR MINISTRIES ADVANCES COMMUNITY-LED IMPLEMENTATION

June 8^th, 2026 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

COMMUNITY DAY CENTER INITIATIVE ENTERS NEXT PHASE AS OPEN DOOR MINISTRIES ADVANCES COMMUNITY-LED IMPLEMENTATION 

HIGH POINT, NC — After years of research, planning, community engagement, and leadership by Open Door Ministries (ODM) and its Care Center Steering Committee, the Community Care Center Initiative is entering an important new phase focused on broader community-led initiative focused on implementation. 

The transition reflects the evolution of a project that was born from community conversations and identified needs. As homelessness and housing instability continue to impact High Point and Guilford County, Open Door Ministries has remained at the forefront of efforts to address emerging challenges while convening partners to explore long-term solutions. 

The Care Center concept was developed in direct response to concerns realized and expressed by community members, service providers, local government leaders, businesses, faith communities, and individuals experiencing homelessness.  

Over the past several years, ODM has worked diligently to research best practices, engage stakeholders, evaluate operational models, and build broad community support for a centralized resource center designed to better serve vulnerable individuals while strengthening coordination among service providers. 

Today, as community needs continue to grow and demand for ODM's core programs reaches historic levels, the organization is transitioning the initiative into a broader community-led effort dedicated exclusively to moving the project from planning to implementation. 

Through the support of a private donor, Carl Vierling has been retained as an independent facilitator to help guide this next phase. His work will focus on stakeholder engagement, coordination with the City of High Point and Guilford County, site identification, partnership development, funding opportunities, and the creation of a sustainable operating framework for the future Care Center. 

"At Open Door Ministries, our focus has always been on helping people and responding to the needs we see every day in our community," said Ryan Ross, Executive Director of Open Door Ministries. "The Care Center Initiative grew out of conversations with community members, service providers, local leaders, and individuals experiencing homelessness who shared a common concern and a desire to find solutions. Over the years, many people and organizations have contributed their time, ideas, and expertise to help shape this vision, and we are grateful for their partnership and commitment. 

Today, the needs in our community are greater than ever. While Open Door Ministries remains fully committed to providing shelter, meals, housing assistance, and other critical services, we also recognize the importance of having dedicated leadership focused on moving the Day Center from planning to reality. This transition allows both efforts to move forward in the best possible way." 

Ross added, "If the Care Center is going to succeed, it will take all of us working together: nonprofits, local government, businesses, faith communities, and residents. We are proud of the foundation that has been built, and we look forward to supporting this next phase as the community comes together to turn a shared vision into a lasting resource for those who need it most." 

Open Door Ministries will continue to participate in a supportive and collaborative role while maintaining its primary focus on addressing immediate needs related to homelessness, hunger, housing instability, and poverty throughout the region. 

"This has always been about finding the best path forward for our community," said Nancy Bowman, Chair of the Open Door Ministries Board of Directors. "The Day Center (Care Center) is a community solution to a community need. Open Door Ministries and the Steering Committee have worked tirelessly to move the concept forward, and we are proud of the foundation that has been built. This effort has benefited from the engagement of the City of High Point, Guilford County Commissioners, nonprofit organizations, faith communities, business leaders, and residents who recognize the importance of addressing homelessness in a coordinated way. This next phase reflects the shared commitment of our community to turn vision into action." 

This next phase will build upon the extensive groundwork already completed by ODM and the Steering Committee, including community outreach, stakeholder engagement, needs assessments, model evaluation, and partnership development. 

"I am grateful for the opportunity to help advance this important community effort," said Carl Vierling. "A tremendous amount of work has already been done by Open Door Ministries, the Steering Committee, local government partners, and many dedicated stakeholders. The foundation is in place. The focus now is identifying a viable location, aligning partners, developing a sustainable operating model, and moving with urgency to take advantage of the opportunities before us. I look forward to working alongside the community to help bring this to life." 

As the initiative moves into implementation, ODM remains committed to supporting efforts that improve outcomes for individuals experiencing homelessness while continuing to provide the essential services that thousands of individuals and families rely upon each year. 

Additional updates regarding the Community Care Center Initiative will be shared as progress continues. 

For questions about this press release, please contact: 

ODM Executive Director Ryan Ross at (336)830-5562 (primary) 

ODM Director of Development Xuan ‘Dynasty’ Rui at xrui@odm-hp.org (secondary) 

ODM Director of Operations Orel Henry at ohenry@odm-hp.org (secondary) 

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ABOUT OPEN DOOR MINISTRIES 

Open Door Ministries of High Point

Open Door Ministries is a nonprofit organization serving individuals and families experiencing homelessness, hunger, poverty, and housing instability throughout the Greater High Point region. Through emergency shelter, food assistance, housing programs, veteran services, emergency financial assistance, and supportive services, ODM works to meet immediate needs while creating pathways toward long-term stability and self-sufficiency.