December has arrived — and so have dropping temperatures.
When it hits 32 degrees or lower for more than 3 hours, the Office of Homeless Services (OHS) opens an overflow cold shelter on Brick Church Pike.
“It’s a safety concern. It’s a safety concern,” said April Calvin, the director of OHS.
Calvin says they’ve worked for 6 months to set up the shelter, where they’ll provide refuge from the cold in the short term and medical, financial and other assistance for the long term.
“Why? Because that’s what we should do as humans right? It’s our moral responsibility,” she explained.
Inside, visitors get a hot meal and a bed for the night — something Tish England says she was very grateful for.
“We were not gonna have what we needed to keep our home warm,” Tish said. “And I just thought [the overflow shelter] was a blessing. Beyond a blessing. Beyond what I expected.”
OHS says you’re encouraged to use year-round shelters, like Room at the Inn , the Nashville Rescue Mission , or Nashville Launch Pad before heading to overflow. This helps them manage the resources they have to help the community.