The Chattanooga Regional Homeless Coalition will open a warming shelter at the Chattanooga Community Kitchen for the homeless community this winter on nights when temperatures are expected to sustain at 35 degrees or below. In collaboration with the Hamilton County Health Department, a COVID-19 safety plan was developed, including temperature checks, hand sanitizer, PPE and barriers. Anyone in need of shelter can text “winter shelter” to 97779 to subscribe to updates on when the warming shelter will open.
The city has more than 600 people facing homelessness on the streets on any given night, and the warming shelter averages about 90 people per night during the winter months. This year, COVID-19 response funding allowed the Homeless Coalition to buy a barrier that will separate everyone while sleeping. Additionally, if someone is at higher risk for COVID-19, they will be housed in a non- congregate hotel shelter, reducing the congregate shelter by at least a third.
Since March, Executive Director Wendy Winters says her team has held weekly COVID-19 response planning meetings with local partners. “Our main goal is to get through this winter without a significant COVID or flu outbreak in the homeless population. Of course, the best way to prevent spreading the virus is to house people. We hope to strategically use COVID response dollars to end homelessness for at least a few sub-populations,”said Winters. They are looking for compassionate property owners willing to rent to low-income, homeless individuals with incentives and client support services that are available.
No one in need of shelter will be turned away. If an organization is interested in serving as an overflow site, or landlords are interested in partnering with the coalition, they should make contact through homelesscoalition.org
