KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Hundreds looked to the Knoxville Area Rescue Ministries for shelter Monday night.
Karen Bowdle, a KARM spokesperson, told WBIR that more than 450 people slept at a warming center facility from Monday until Tuesday morning. That sets an overnight occupancy record.
KARM, along with some Knoxville churches, has operated a warming center since the start of last week's winter storm that stretched across Tennessee.
The number is an increase of about 60 people from the night before, Bowdle said. She also said KARM can't be sure what caused the increase, however, it's likely the closure of the other warming shelters played a part.
“We’ve been so grateful for the warming shelters, and how they helped navigate the potentially deadly weather conditions of the past week and helped take care of many of our most vulnerable neighbors,” said Danita McCartney, the KARM President and CEO.
She said that KARM is still helping people, even though temperatures aren't as extreme as they were, and she said KARM's goal is to reach as many unsheltered people as possible.
“This kind of weather forces many men and women to come inside KARM’s doors for the first time, which allows our staff and volunteers the opportunity to let them know about the many resources available inside those doors," McCartney said. "One of our overarching goals is to provide every single one of our guests with overwhelming biblical hospitality. We want to treat them the way we would want one of our own family to be treated if they were struggling with homelessness."