Warming Center, homeless services continue
As the weather grew cold recently, TN Outreach Center for the Homeless provided a place for people to get warm.
The warming center was at Oak Ridge Unitarian Universalist Church from Wednesday, Jan. 14, through Friday Jan. 16, and again from Saturday Jan. 17, through Wednesday Jan. 21.
The church advertised the event as “for all those who need a place to warm up, get a hot meal and a shower, and spend the night.”
It was for adults over 18. In general, the warming center opens at that location at times when the temperature drops below 20 degrees or if there is at least an inch of snow predicted and volunteers are available.
As of press time, the church had stated in its newsletter that it planned to keep the warming center open at least through this Friday, Jan. 30.
If you have questions about volunteering, go to oruucwarmingshelter@gmail.com, but do not drop off donations without emailing first to see if the items are needed. Make donations to TORCH at oakridgetorch.org/.
Other TORCH services
Even when the warming center isn’t open, TORCH’s services continue.
The organization has its headquarters at 152 Ridgeway Center.
Its executive director, Andy O’Quinn, spoke to the Clinton Rotary Club last year about the group’s ongoing services to Anderson County’s homeless people.
“It’s a small organization with a huge mission to end homelessness in Anderson County,” O’Quinn told the club. “Is it possible to end homelessness in Anderson County? Absolutely.”
He said people who are either homeless or afraid of soon becoming homeless can call TORCH’s help line at 865-318-4788. From there, a professional can answer whether the person calling would be better assisted by TORCH or one of its partner organizations, like Aid to Distressed Families of Appalachian Counties.
Others, however, will get directed to TORCH’s Street Outreach, Family Shelter, Rapid Rehousing or depending on if it’s available, the Warming Center.
Street Outreach, he said, involves helping people living outside with things like “food, tents, sleeping bags, gas cards and other random needs.” The program also looks at the barriers these individuals face toward finding a home.
Rapid Rehousing, he said, involves working to find ways to get a home for people.
TORCH, he said, has a grant from the federal Housing and Urban Development department allowing it to help with deposits, rents and past-due amounts.
Rapid Recover Response, he said, is a specific program for the estimated 28% of homeless people in the county who are homeless due to drug or alcohol problems.
While that’s not the only or biggest cause of homelessness in the county, TORCH connects people who suffer from those problems with groups that can help them overcome addiction.
Programs for families include Bookhart Village and Agape House, both of which provide shelters for those families free of charge. While they’re staying there, TORCH helps those families plan their next steps.
Anderson County’s homeless, O’Quinn said, fall to homelessness for different reasons: 32% do not having enough income to meet their needs; 40% lost a home due to an event or unforeseen circumstance, such as trouble with family; and 28% are homeless due to substance abuse.
He said the cost of a two-bedroom rental had increased from about $846 in 2018 to $1,410 in 2025, a 59.2% increase. Wages, however, had increased during that period only by 22%.
However, O’Quinn had hope. He said 90% of clients the organization assists keep housing for at least a year.
O’Quinn said the organization has relied 60% on donations and 40% on grant funding. Mostly, he said, these grants come from the government, although he said there had been some trouble with that funding in 2025 due to the government shutdown.
For more information or to donate to TORCH, go to oakridgetorch.org/.
Warming Centers and Torch
The warming center at Oak Ridge Unitarian Universalist Church is activated during extreme cold — below 20 degrees or when at least an inch of snow is expected — giving adults a safe place for warmth, meals and overnight shelter.
TORCH offers year-round support beyond the warming center, including Street Outreach, Family Shelter, Rapid Rehousing and programs addressing substance-abuse-related homelessness.
Rising housing costs are a major local driver of homelessness: The average two-bedroom rental in Anderson County has climbed 59% since 2018, while wages have only gone up 22%.
TORCH maintains a strong success rate, with 90% of its clients staying housed for at least a year, but the group relies heavily on donations and faced grant-funding issues during the 2025 government shutdown.
