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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:

The Hospitality Hub

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

Calvary Rescue Mission

Shelter and outreach for adult men.
Location: 960 S Third Street, 901-775-2570

Memphis Union Mission

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

YWCA Abused Women’s Services

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.