Our History

McDowell Mission Ministries was founded in July 1993. We started as a homeless shelter for men and the day that we opened we received our first resident. In 1995, we began accepting women and giving away some food boxes. 

In 1998, the Christian Clothing Center united with our ministry and in 1999, we purchased the nurses annex from the old hospital site on Fleming Avenue. The building had fallen into disrepair and received frequent visits from law enforcement. We converted it into a 41-bed shelter to house women and children. The Mission assisted Burke and Catawba Counties in starting ministries in their communities.