In April 1992, the Cherokee County Ministerial Association (CCMA) purchased a house in Murphy with the help of an interest free loan.
Slim Hurlburt and Al Johnson, along with countless others spent time renovating the house. The Hurlburt-Johnson Shelter opened on August 7, 1993.
In July of 2005, the CCMA turned management over to a volunteer Board of Directors who incorporated as the Hurlburt-Johnson Friendship House, Inc. They led a massive volunteer renovation and re-opened on November 1, 2005.
The facility is supported entirely by private donations, the Homeless Shelter Thrift store (rebranded from Reseller in August 2021) and grants. We can currently accommodate 30 individuals and are in the planning stages to increase our capacity.
In 2021, the board decided to begin using the name "Murphy Homeless Shelter" so our mission is more evident. The Murphy Homeless Shelter is the only family shelter in 100 miles that has the level of assistance we provide our residents.
