KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Knox Area Rescue Ministries opened "The Wing" on Nov. 5, a shelter for women experiencing homelessness. The space is already operating at capacity.
Celia Lively, KARM's Senior Director of Community Engagement, said they're not turning women away. Instead, the nonprofit is getting creative about where to place them.
"We didn't want to stand on the sidelines anymore. We wanted to be ready to stand in that gap, meet these women and help them right where they are," Lively said.
In a press release, KARM said women make up around 46% of people experiencing homelessness in Knox County. Linda Levy has stayed at KARM since July 2023 when her husband died. Now with the new space specifically for women, she said she's found a sense of belonging.
"We all have different stories, different things in our life, but there's one thing we all share — we're all homeless, but we have a home here in the ladies' wing," Levy said.
It provides women with access to a lockable device charging station and a clothing closet among other kinds of amenities. The space also has a laundry facility and community spaces.
With the expansion, KARM went from 102 beds for women to 120 beds. In addition to the dorm, The Wing also has two family rooms. They can hold a mother and up to three children. The rooms share a kitchen, bathroom and living space.
Lacey Davison and her daughter have stayed in the family room for around two weeks. She said when she lost her housing, she didn't know what she'd do.
"The Wing was an answer to our prayers because I don't know where we would be right now if we hadn't ended up here. This has been a blessing," Davison said.
Many women said it's not a permanent solution but the space helps them as they take their next steps.