FARRAGUT
Warming centers served hundreds in Knoxville’s snowy deep freeze
Nancy Anderson, Shopper News
It was the worst snowstorm since ’93, most would agree. For people without homes, the newly formed Office of Housing Stability arranged months ago for warming centers to be at the ready when cold hit.
It wasn’t all smooth sailing for the three, and eventually four, warming centers, but lives were saved. According to Erin Read, director of the Office of Housing Stability, the office was expecting about 125 people across all three warming centers. Surprisingly, the number was more like 288 people.
The Salvation Army opened its doors for the Magnolia United Methodist Church overflow.
“(Knox Area Rescue Mission) is an unsung hero of this whole operation; they did transportation to hundreds of people to the warming centers,” Read said.
“Last winter we had four days of extreme cold. A few churches opened their doors. Magnolia United Methodist served about 80 people during those four days. The city and the county split the cost of a warming tent on Broadway, complete with propane heaters.