Homelessness Assistance
Memphis has been nationally recognized as a leader in efforts to meet the needs of individuals who are experiencing homelessness. Through Downtown churches and outreach agencies, meal programs are readily available seven days a week. Caring, competent providers are easily accessible to assess the needs of a homeless person and refer him or her to appropriate housing, medical care, or residential treatment and recovery services for substance abusers.
If you are seeking assistance for someone, or are interested in donating money or your time to help our local homeless population, following is a list of downtown providers for emergency shelters and assistance programs:
A resource center that connects individuals with the resources they
need to begin their journey out of homelessness. A good first stop to
identify needs and find direction fulfilling those needs.
Location: 82 N. Second Street, 901-522-1808
Room in the Inn
Provides emergency shelter and meals during the coldest months of the year—November through March
Location: 212 N Second Street, 901-443-6643
Shelter and outreach for adult men.
Location: 960 S Third Street, 901-775-2570
Emergency housing for adult men and intact families.
Location: 383 Poplar Avenue, 901-526-8403
Salvation Army Purdue Center for Hope
Emergency shelter for women with and without children.
Location: 696 Jackson Avenue, 901-542-8586
Emergency housing for battered women with and without children.
901-725-4277
Alpha Omega Veteran’s Services
Drop in center providing food and shower facilites for veterans.
Location: 2226 Ball Road, 901-726-5066, 1183 Madison Avenue
Porter Leath Children’s Center
An emergency shelter for youth, 901-577-2500, 868 N. Manassas
Golf Cart Outreach
In October 2018, the Hospitality Hub partnered with the Downtown Memphis Commission to create a pilot street outreach program aimed at connecting homeless people with available services.
Each weekday from 7-9am and from 3-5pm a trained Hub staff person used a DMC-provided golf cart to visit the streets and alleys of the city core looking to build relationships with homeless men and women. The Hub staff person liaised with the Blue Suede Brigade via DMC-supplied radios. The target area for the pilot was bounded by Danny Thomas Boulevard, A.W. Willis Avenue, Dr. Martin Luther King Avenue and the Mississippi River.
The goal of the program was to introduce one person each week into the continuum of care. Over the course of the pilot program, we surpassed that goal by over 350%, bringing an average of 3.6 people each week into the continuum of care. These men and women went on to find shelter, benefits, employment and housing through the comprehensive work of the Hospitality Hub and CoC partners.
As a result of the successful pilot, the Hub has plans to extend the street outreach program to encompass the area bounded by North Parkway, Cleveland Avenue, Dr. Martin Luther King Avenue and the Mississippi River. This expanded program is conducted by Hub staff operating three golf carts, five days a week
Temporary employment through Work Local, the Hub’s city-wide blight abatement program
The Hospitality Hub’s Work Local program provides work seven days a week for clients. Workers receive a fair wage and a hot meal as payment for their work. Both men and women are offered an option to work Tuesday through Friday. Additionally, Work Local runs women-only crews on Saturday, Sunday, and Monday.
Program partners include the Downtown Memphis Commission, the City of Memphis Department of Public Works, the Shelby County Commission, the Memphis Medical District Collaborative and Tri-State Truck Center. In 2018, Work Local workers earned $109,000 and cleaned up 87 TONS of trash on 1,280 miles of Memphis roads.