KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — A new community outreach center is in the works in East Knoxville, after a car crashed into the center's previous building.
Lawrence Williams with World United Ministries will be opening an outreach community center. He aims to use the space for people in the community to gather. He said his goal is to offer free haircuts, games and community meetings. He also said he plans to have it open by April.
"What we are doing is we are coming in, along with others, to beautify our community," he said. "Things like that, because ... if we aren't going to do it for our community, no one else is."
Within just a week of securing a location, remodeling started. The community space comes after a deadly crash ended with one of the cars hitting the Safe Haven Empowerment Center on Magnolia Avenue.
The crash displaced people, who relied on the center as a space to gather and live. In just six weeks since the car accident, Williams has hit the ground running.
"We continue to strive and don't give up," he said.
Located on Martin Luther King Jr. Ave., he wants the center to help change the area and bring together members of the community.
"What we try to do is change the atmosphere, and let people know that there is good on Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue," he said.
He said his biggest reason to keep going is the people he's helping.
"A lot of times people give up on the young folks that are out in the streets," he said.
He said this project all started with a step of faith. When he was looking for locations to start the center, the owner just gave him the keys with no catch.
In the meantime, Safe Haven is also still operating. He said that despite very little financial help, he has been able to soon open the second building. It is located at 2519 Martin Luther King Junior Ave.
On Magnolia Ave., operations at Safe Haven continue to run. For Williams, this is just a matter of working through disasters.
"What we had to do is adjust," he said.
Police say the drivers in the car were drag racing when they crashed. The drivers are scheduled for court on March 28.