KILL DEVIL HILLS, N.C. — OBX Room In The Inn, based in Kill Devil Hills, N.C., will open its winter shelter for adults experiencing homelessness on Nov. 1, starting its 18th season of food, clothing, shelter and support services on the Outer Banks.
The faith-based nonprofit, established in 2009, said demand rose 25% during the 2025-2026 shelter season. The program provided 2,164 room nights and 6,492 meals last season, and the average guest age was 49.
Last season the group also helped 16 individuals secure long-term housing. A $20,000 grant from the Outer Banks Community Foundation paid security deposits, a cost that often blocks people working toward permanent housing.
Intake will run daily, seven days a week, from 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. at the intake center at 111 W. Carlton Avenue in Kill Devil Hills. Each guest must complete an intake packet, show a valid government-issued ID and pass a drug screening, breathalyzer test and background check. The intake process also includes a personal property search and a review of program policies before guests are taken to the shelter facility in Nags Head.
At the shelter, guests get a hot evening meal, showers, laundry and a clean bed. Each morning they receive breakfast and a sack lunch before leaving for the day. The shelter program begins in November and extends until the end of April, and the group offers support services year-round.
Shari Fiveash and Tanya Negron oversee the program. The organization was founded by Gail Leonard and Claiborne Yarbrough and works with local churches, Interfaith Community Outreach, Dare Challenge, the Manteo Lions Club, the Community Care Clinic, Crossroads and the Dare County Sheriff’s Office.
Kill Devil Hills and Nags Head are two of the incorporated Outer Banks towns that keep their own town councils, and the US-158 Croatan Highway commercial corridor links the intake office and the shelter. People who need a bed or want to volunteer can call 252-255-1133.
