Freezing temperatures arrived in Memphis this week, creating hazardous conditions for people without shelter or whose homes don’t have heat. If you need help staying warm, overnight shelter is available at First Baptist Church on the northeast corner of Poplar Avenue and East Parkway.
Unlike last winter, all warming center clients are being sheltered at this location. That includes single people, couples, and families with children.
Each day, the city’s office of emergency management decides whether to open the warming center that evening based on a variety of factors, including temperature. The Hospitality Hub, which operates the shelter on behalf of the City of Memphis, announces each day whether the center will open that evening on Facebook and Instagram. Its opening and closing hours may change, so clients should check online before they arrive.
The warming center sheltered over 100 clients overnight on Monday. The Hub announced Tuesday afternoon that the center will be open on Tuesday starting at 10 p.m. It is unclear whether the center will open during subsequent nights this week.
“Right now it’s just going day by day, just because it’s warming up during the day,” Hospitality Hub spokesperson Su Hartline told MLK50: Justice Through Journalism.
How can I seek shelter at a warming center?
Memphians seeking shelter from the elements simply need to show up at First Baptist Church when it opens for warming center operations.
Clients do not need to provide an ID or other documentation to seek shelter at a warming center — they merely need to sign in when they arrive.
Unsheltered people can request a ride to a warming center by calling 901-486-0939. Transportation to the center begins half an hour before it opens, which is 9:30 p.m. on Tuesday.
Clients can arrive at any time during the shelter’s hours of operation. The center will close Wednesday at 8 a.m.
What amenities are provided at the warming center?
Cots, blankets and snacks are provided at the First Baptist Church warming center, which has enough resources available to serve over 100 people.
“Everybody that has come in so far is getting cots,” Hartline said. “We don’t have hotel vouchers, but we do work to get people into shelter as (space is) available.” A sack meal is also provided in the evening, and hot food may be served depending on availability, Hartline said.
Are there other warming centers located in Memphis?
The Hospitality Hub runs the city’s only official overnight warming center, but shelter during the day may be available elsewhere in your neighborhood at community centers and public libraries.
Unhoused families with children under 18 can also call the Metropolitan Inter-Faith Association’s 24-hour hotline for homeless families at 901-529-4545.
Have you sheltered in Memphis’ warming center? Tell MLK50 about your experience by emailing the author of this story at natalie.wallington@mlk50.com.
Natalie Wallington is the housing reporter for MLK50: Justice Through Journalism. Email her at natalie.wallington@mlk50.com.
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