Cobb gives bus vouchers, funds to MUST Ministries for warming shelter

The MUST Ministries' new "Hope House" homeless shelter in Marietta as seen in March 2022. (Courtesy of MUST Ministries)

Credit: MUST Ministries

Credit: MUST Ministries

The MUST Ministries' new "Hope House" homeless shelter in Marietta as seen in March 2022. (Courtesy of MUST Ministries)

The Cobb County Board of Commissioners agreed Tuesday to set aside $108,000 and CobbLinc bus vouchers for MUST Ministries to help support those who need access to the nonprofit’s warming shelter.

MUST Ministries provides a warm shelter in Marietta for people to stay overnight when the temperature dips near freezing. But because the county only has one, it can be difficult for some people to get to the facility, county spokesman Ross Cavitt said.

“What about somebody down in Austell or out in Lost Mountain? How would they get out to this facility?” Cavitt said.

The bus vouchers will enable MUST Ministries to help more people, Cavitt said.

DeKalb and Gwinnett counties, along with some cities in metro Atlanta, own and operate their own warming shelters. Cavitt said the county looked into the cost of creating its own shelter but opted to partner with the nonprofit instead.

“MUST has a new facility. They’ve got room, the infrastructure, the procedures — everything from security to mental health to food,” Cavitt said.

The board approved the agreement on the consent agenda after Commissioner Keli Gambrill voiced her opposition to it.