Knoxville will open three warming shelters next week
Temperatures are expected to dip into the single digits early next week with wind chill values below zero. The unsheltered are particularly vulnerable, so community members are collaborating to open warming shelters in coordination with the Knoxville-Knox County Office of Housing Stability.
“This is the pilot year,” said Executive Director Erin Read. “Of course, churches have always done this informally, but this is the pilot for a formal warming shelter program.”
Read’s office has partnered with churches and homeless service providers to open overnight warming centers if temperatures fall to dangerously cold levels between Jan. 15-19 – or longer as needed.
Three church sites will open next week: Vestal United Methodist Church in
South Knoxville and Magnolia Avenue United Methodist Church in East Knoxville, as well as a third church on Kingston Pike in West Knoxville. Anyone who wants to use the warming centers can contact KPD’s nonemergency line at 865215-4010.
“Each location has its own schedule (for when they open) and temperature threshold,” Read said. “Next year, our goal is to have more consistency.”
Read said the threshold for all the centers to open will be between 20 and 25 degrees. All the centers will stop accepting guests at 8 p.m., so those in need should plan to be at the center by then. There are capacity limits at each site, with room for 15 in West Knoxville, 20 in South Knoxville and 40-50 in East Knoxville. Anyone who calls the nonemergency line will be directed to the closest open shelter, Read said.
“There might be a night or two where just one center might be open,” she said. “I’m assuming it will be below 20 degrees that whole week. if it turns out warmer than we think, we’ll just cancel volunteers for that night.”
Volunteer response has been robust so far, but more volunteers are needed in South and East Knoxville, Read said. If you would like to volunteer for this communitywide effort, call 211 or email the Knoxville-Knox County Office of Housing Stability at office@knoxtnhousing.org.
“We’re ready to go, we just need a few more volunteers,” she said. “We need volunteers to pick up and deliver meals from KARM, to check people in, to make people comfortable and give them toiletries and blankets. Some volunteers are also needed to stay overnight, and some to make coffee and give out breakfast items in the mornings.”
If you would like to donate supplies, the following items are needed, either used or new: sleeping bags, bedding (especially comforters) and scrubs of all sizes. The following items are needed, purchased new only please: toiletries, socks and underwear. To donate, contact Knox Area Rescue Ministries at 865-673-6540 or by email at info@karm.org.
Liz Kellar is a Tennessee Connect reporter. Email liz.kellar@knoxnews.com.