Interactive Resource Center sees sharp rise in Greensboro walk-ins

The Interactive Resource Center in Greensboro served 806 people in April, up from 762 in April last year, as staff saw more unhoused people walking through its doors and a sharper demand from seniors and younger adults. Program director Briana McDuffie said the pressure reflects a market many people cannot survive in: “They can’t afford it.” The center reported a 43% increase in seniors needing help, along with more people ages 18 to 25 seeking services.

McDuffie said the increase is showing up in the people who do not fit neatly into other systems. Some are 55 or older but fall outside age cutoffs used by other agencies, while others are aging out of foster care or coping with mental health and substance use challenges. The IRC said its goal is not only to connect people to housing, but also to line up mental health and employment services so they can stay housed once they leave the building.

That surge is part of a longer strain on downtown Greensboro’s safety net. In 2024, community leaders said call volume tied to the IRC had climbed more than 200%, business owners reported assaults and disturbances nearby, and Guilford County EMS partnered with Greensboro police and fire after repeated calls to the center. Around the same time, the IRC said it had served 771 people in one month, up from 584 the year before and 219 in September 2022, a 350% jump in demand that forced the nonprofit to scale back overnight operations later that fall.

City officials are trying to respond with new outreach and shelter options. Greensboro has said it is moving away from the Doorway Project, a pallet shelter program, while preparing an orange flag heat response for days when temperatures reach 90 degrees or higher and overnight lows do not fall below 70. The city also put out a request for weekend cooling centers and is advancing Housing First Plus. The IRC plans to hold its second annual resource fair at its Greensboro location on May 20 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., another sign that the center is trying to meet the need before summer heat adds more pressure to the county’s shelter network.