NEWS

WILLIAMSON COUNTY HOMELESS ALLIANCEESTIMATES NEARLY A THIRD OF NIGHTS IN 2022WILL REQUIRE EMERGENCY SHELTER

BY REV. DR. KEVIN RIGGS

“We don’t have any people who are homeless in Williamson County.”

I can’t tell you how many times I have heard that statement. But nothing could be further from the truth. There are people in Franklin and Williamson County experiencing homelessness and the numbers are growing. My best educated guess is there are between 1,200 to 1,500 people in Williamson County experiencing homelessness.

I have just finalized my Homeless Report for 2021 and here are the results of what our organization has seen and done. We are only one of several organizations who work together to address homelessness in our county.

In 2021 we:

• provided 291 total nights of shelter (80 percent of possible nights in

2021). In other words, in 2021, we provided shelter eight out of every 10 nights.

• provided a total of 1,437 beds.

• averaged five people per night and housed over 200 individual people.

• averaged two men, two women and one child per night.

While our numbers don’t compare to Davidson County, they are significant to us.

In addition to the above emergency shelter numbers, over the last three years, our organization has moved 70 families from homelessness to permanent housing. We also operate four group homes with a total of 30 beds. All in a county where people don’t think homelessness exists.

So far 2022 seems to continue the upward trend. However, my organization is out of funds for hotels and have moved back to churches. Our goal is to provide emergency shelter when the temperature dips below 32 degrees and above 90 degrees. Using that formula, we anticipate providing more than 100 nights of shelter in 2022.

My organization seeks to provide assistance by sheltering those experiencing homelessness through emergency, temporary, transitional, and permanent housing solutions. We strive to address the whole person by providing services that assist in healing the individual and family physically, emotionally/mentally, and spiritually. This holistic approach first provides a safe and secure shelter to rest and recover and then offers paths to solving the issues which may have led to homelessness.

By partnering with other nonprofits, we offer services in substance abuse, mental health and physical health issues, nutritional support, educational assistance, and counseling. Our mission is to develop and maintain a permanent transitional sanctuary that meets the needs of people experiencing homelessness in Franklin/Williamson County Tennessee by partnering with local government, non-profits, businesses, individuals, and churches. Our vision is to create a permanent shelter that ministers to the whole person, providing a place of rest, recovery, and holistic assistance.

If you would like more information about Williamson County Homeless Alliance, you can reach us at (615)499- 0071 or find more information at www. wilcohomeless.com.