Record number of families stay in Rowan Co. shelter Monday night

ROWAN COUNTY -- A record number of families stayed at the Rowan Helping Ministries shelter Monday night.

Seven families and 11 children are calling the shelter home. It's a shelter that was designed for just 40 men not the 70-plus men, women and children it now houses regularly.

"We've had to use spaces that weren't originally designed as dorm areas, said executive director Kyna Grubb.

"I sleep by the water fountain, said Brian Cardenas, who has stayed at the shelter with his family for a month.

Each night, the offices become bedrooms, the table and chairs switched out for cots.

"We used every inch of space we had," Grubb said.

But in just a month, there will be much more space 30,000 square feet of it. Crews are wrapping up work on a new shelter just across the street.

It will be large enough to sleep a 124 people.

Organizers say there's no explanation behind Monday night's full house.

The ministry's new building is expected to begin services May 19.

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Record number of families stay in Rowan Co. shelter Monday night