Warming Center opens

January 1, 2025 by Ben Pounds

Amid cold weather, volunteers in Oak Ridge have made a place to stay for people who need it.

In general, the Warming Center opens at Oak Ridge Unitarian Universalist Church at times when the temperature drops below 20 degrees.

For example, it recently opened from 6 p.m. Thursday Dec. 5, through 10 a.m. Saturday Dec. 7. It was also open in January 2024.

Volunteers, funds and resources for the center come from the church and the Tennessee Outreach Center for the Homeless.

Volunteer coordinator Amanda Branche said the center offers homeless people a dry, safe space to sleep for the night, providing meals and snacks, sleeping bags, towels and toiletries, and “to go” food bags.

Depending on availability, there also may be coats, boots, socks, gloves and hats available for those whoneed them.

Given the irregular nature of the Warming Center, Branche said people who want to help should give to TORCH, which helps with the center and other assistance for homeless people.

Those funds, she said, go to providing sleeping bags, inflatable mattresses, food, and hotels for people with children.

You can donate to TORCH on its website, oakridgetorch.org/donate/. If you want to donate to the shelter specifically, enter “shelter” when making your donation. The mailing address is P.O. Box 5448, Oak Ridge, TN 37831.

For more information, visit oakridgetorch.org, contact TORCH by phone at 865-318-4788, email info@oakridgetorch.org or go to facebook.com/oakridgetorch.