KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — CareCuts and Operation Vet Rescue say many veterans avoid traditional shelters because of trauma. Both organizations are now asking for volunteers and donations to help keep a safer, veteran-only space open.
Across the country, veterans face some of the highest rates of homelessness, and many avoid shelters altogether. Here in Knoxville, organizers say one veteran’s death just months ago made the need impossible to ignore. He refused to enter a traditional shelter, overwhelmed by noise, crowds, and past trauma.
Resources still open for East Tennessee families needing help this holiday season
Outside CareCuts, an American flag and an Operation Vet Rescue flag will fly nightly, a quiet signal to veterans on the street that this space is different.
“A lot of these warming shelters, unfortunately, there’s not a lot of them. So, they really have to pack them in. And I think that the cramped space sometimes will trigger a veteran as well. That is the reason why they stay out,” said Stephen Roche, CEO of Operation Vet Rescue…